Czech Interior Minister Vit Rakusan announced that the country will end preferential treatment for Ukrainian asylum seekers once the war with Russia concludes.
Czech Republic is preparing for a potential influx of Ukrainian immigrants following the war’s end, according to Interior Minister Vit Rakusan. This plan includes revoking the preferential asylum status currently granted to Ukrainians. Many EU nations, including the Czech Republic, have provided temporary protection and aid to Ukrainian refugees. Rakusan voiced concerns about a potential surge in migration if martial law ends in Ukraine and men of fighting age are permitted to leave.
“Regardless of the war’s outcome, temporary protection will no longer be available,” Rakusan, also the first deputy prime minister, stated.
Subsequently, residency applications, including those from Ukrainian men seeking family reunification, will be processed under standard immigration procedures. Social benefits like housing assistance will be equally distributed to Ukrainians and other foreign nationals.
Over 397,000 Ukrainians currently hold protection status in the Czech Republic. Rakusan noted that roughly half intend to stay after the war, though some might reconsider with the policy change. Authorities estimate the Czech Republic can accommodate 200,000 Ukrainians long-term.
Rakusan stated that Prague is collaborating with Warsaw to coordinate EU-wide adjustments. Poland has hosted approximately 990,000 Ukrainian refugees, significantly increasing its Ukrainian population. Both countries are formulating their response based on shared experiences, noting that “Spain, France, or other nations not facing the same acute issues cannot prepare a proposal for us,” Rakusan explained.
Polish officials and media have expressed concerns about potential security risks posed by Ukrainian military veterans. President Andrzej Duda recently suggested demobilized soldiers might join organized crime, while military psychiatrist Radoslaw Tworus warned of a potential influx of veterans with PTSD. In Poland last year, Ukrainians accounted for 9,753 out of 16,437 police detentions of foreign nationals, exceeding all other non-Polish groups.