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21 October 2024

Czech Republic: Third reading of "Lex Ukraine" amendment

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On 22 October the Czech Chamber of Deputies advanced the proposed "Lex Ukraine 7" amendment to its third reading. The main purpose of the amendment is to allow for an extension of the temporary protection regime for those displaced from Ukraine, which is currently due to end in March 2025.

The amendment would also enable some of those from Ukraine to transition from a temporary protection permit to a different type of residence status, known as "special long-term residence". The proposal also stipulates, however, that holders of this permit will not be entitled to most non-insurance-based social benefits, such as parental allowances, material need benefits, or care allowances. This has been the subject of some criticism, with the Consortium of Migrant Assisting Organizations in the Czech Republic stating that the difference in treatment between holders of the special long-term residence permit and other long-term residence permit holders (such as employee cards or family reunification permits) is discriminatory.

A proposal submitted by the Committee for Security, which stipulates that Russian citizens will only be granted Czech citizenship if they renounce their Russian citizenship, is included as part of the amendment. According to the Ministry of the Interior, the aim of this measure is to strengthen internal security. The Consortium of Migrant Assisting Organizations in the Czech Republic also deemed this measure discriminatory: there are concerns that it could lead to the application of collective responsibility, affecting many Russians who share the Czech Republic's democratic values, oppose the war in Ukraine, or are involved in providing humanitarian aid to those displaced from Ukraine.

Details

Publication dates
Location
Country-wide
Geographic area
Czech Republic
Source
Posted by
Jan Dítko
Country Coordinator

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