Fiala: The Czech Republic is on the verge of the number of refugees who are able to cope
Updates: 17.03.2022 13:37
Released: 17.03.2022, 11:27
Prague – The Czech Republic is at the very limit of the number of refugees who are able to absorb without major problems. In the three weeks of the Russian invasion, 270,000 war refugees from Ukraine came to the Czech Republic. This was stated today by Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS) at a press conference after the extraordinary tripartite meeting. According to him, the Czech Republic is one of the countries that manages the influx of newcomers best.
“Currently, there are 270,000 people in the Czech Republic who have fled the war. We must admit that we are on the verge of what we can absorb without major problems,” said the Prime Minister. According to him, the Czech Republic must continue to take steps that will help manage any further high numbers of arrivals. He mentioned the forthcoming changes to the laws governing visas, security, education and employment of refugees. The government has also agreed on contributions for accommodation, the Ministry of Regional Development is preparing subsidies for municipalities for the acquisition and reconstruction of apartments.
According to previous models from previous migration waves, the Czech Republic was able to receive such a number of refugees, which corresponds to two percent of the population. It’s just over 200,000 people. “The refugee wave is incomparable in speed and size. The Czech Republic will manage it. And we will manage some larger numbers, we must implement the system and we must also have the funds. We do not want the EU to introduce quotas, but there is financial solidarity with countries who are most affected by the refugee wave, “the prime minister said. According to him, in the 27 there is the willingness of other states to finance their share. Some subsidy programs are already working, some will need to be modified and others will need to be set up, added Fiala.
He stated that the Czech Republic is one of the destination countries and also one of the countries that manages the migration wave best. According to the Prime Minister, the Czechia has the largest number of registered inhabitants. The Ministry of the Interior has so far issued around 180,000 visas to endure. According to the Minister of Transport Martin Kupka (ODS), the Czech company passed the test extremely well and a more demanding situation awaits it. “The more important the attack will be to maintain social peace. It will again expose populists and those who spread lies to fictional stories,” the minister said after the tripartite.
According to the head of the Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions, Josef Středula, the unions also want to help refute false reports. The reports of the dismissal of a Czech worker and the admission of a Ukrainian refugee instead, which are beginning to spread, are being verified. “It wasn’t true. We will help break down the lies and fictional stories that are part of the information war,” Stredula said. He thinks that the Czech Republic will have to due to the large number of visitors to health care, education or social security. The foreman added that there must be no differences in the approach to refugees to the needy.
More than half of the visitors are children, four-fifths of adults are women. Many men who worked in the Czech Republic, on the other hand, returned to their homeland to fight. Many companies provide support to the families of their Ukrainian employees. Employers offer vacancies. Refugees with a toleration visa will have free access to the Czech labor market after the adoption of the discussed law, they will not need a work permit. According to integration experts, the Czechia should use the education and qualifications of newcomers. According to unions, it would be useful for people to report their profession as soon as they register at the helpdesk.
Trade union and employer leaders praised Fial’s trip to Ukraine
Representatives of unions and employers after today’s tripartite meeting praised Tuesday’s visit to Fiala in Kiev, which is facing Russian military attacks. According to the head of the Confederation of Industry and Transport, Jaroslav Hanák, the importance of the Czech Republic before the presidency of the European Union, which Prague will take in the second half of this year, showed the way to the war zone.
Fiala visited Ukraine together with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, Polish Deputy Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczyński and Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša. They discussed the Ukrainian fight against Russian aggression with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.
The foreman of the Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions, Josef Středula, thanked Fial for visiting. “I would like to express my gratitude for the courage and good brand for the Czech Republic that he has shown,” he said. Fiala’s decision to visit Kyiv is, according to some exact example, what is currently needed.
Hanák said that he respects the prime minister, who does not just talk about freedom and democracy. According to him, the journey to the territory where the aggressor liquidates the civilian population provides a clear attitude and bravery. “It is the right way to show people an example and also what the Czech Republic is. When it approaches, we show how partially the Czech Republic (in the European Union) is,” he said. He hopes that the Czechia will present itself as a stabilized country with great flexible people during its presidency.