Prague manages the arrival of a large number of people fleeing the Putin War
12.04.2022 7:33:00
Mayor m Prague met with the President of the European Committee of the Regions Apostol Tzitzikostas and discussed the port of cities and regions in the war in Russia in Ukraine.
They also addressed the role of Prague during the forthcoming Czech presidency of the Council of the EU, when Prague will host a number of important meetings, such as energy self-sufficiency, sustainability and helping cities deal with the consequences of the war in Ukraine.
During his trip to the Czech Republic, the President of the European Committee of the Regions, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, visited the Mayor of m Prague Zdeněk Hřiby. Together with other members of the Czech delegation of the European Committee of National Regions, they mainly dealt with the issue of managing the refugee crisis, as since the outbreak of fighting at the end of February this year the Czech Republic has issued visas to more than 279,000 Ukrainians.
“We have agreed with the President that, although Prague now manages the arrival of a large number of people fleeing the Putin War, EU assistance is absolutely essential for a long-term solution to the situation. European funds must flow directly to cities and regions as soon as possible. After all, I promoted this before the war within the framework of the Free Cities Pact. I am therefore pleased that the European Committee of the Regions has now come up with the appropriate financial instrument to manage the refugee crisis. The European Commission will decide on it next week. The Committee of the Regions is a key advisory body to the European Union, so it is great that we have such an influential partner in negotiating direct finances, ”said the mayor. Prague Zdenek Hrib.
President Tzitzikostas praised the dedication and solidarity of Prague and the people of Prague. They also said that the European Union would not be relevant in dealing with this crisis without the commitment and proactivity of city leaders in the most affected regions, including Prague and the Czech Republic. The Committee of the Regions within the European Union is raising awareness that the situation is serious not only in the countries neighboring Ukraine, but also in the Czech Republic, and should therefore help to a large extent to the Czech Republic and Prague.
Representatives of the Czech national delegation to the European Committee of the Regions, of which Mayor Hřib is a member, presented to President Tzitzikostas events focused on the development of cities and regions planned in Prague during the Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU. They agreed that during the presidency, Prague will be the center of development of cities and regions at the European level, addressing key issues such as increasing energy self-sufficiency, managing the effects of the Russian war on Ukraine and sustainable modernization.