The Ministry of the Interior, together with other ministries and the Strategic Group, has prepared materials setting out the Government's strategic priorities for the medium- and long-term management of the situation in the Czech Republic resulting from the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
 
3 scenarios of development

The materials respond to the arrival of approximately 300 000 people in the Czech Republic who have fled the war in Ukraine. This number may not be finite, and it is not known how long the conflict will last. The strategy mentions three scenarios. The first is for the case of rapid stabilisation, if no more than 300 000 people arrive, the second envisages a variant of gradual escalation and the arrival of approximately half a million people. The third assumes an extreme escalation, which would mean a mass migration of up to 1 million refugees to the Czech Republic from Ukraine. According to the government, this third scenario is unlikely.

3 phases of the solution

The strategy outlines three phases to the its solution. The first phase, now concluded, is characterised by an immediate response to the arrival of refugees. The Czech Republic is now at the beginning of the second, medium-term phase, which will last for an estimated six months. This phase focuses on building adapted conditions for refugees, primarily through measures to reduce language barriers, provide education, housing, employment and health care. The third phase will depend on developments in Ukraine and will mainly include measures to integrate people who remain in the Czech Republic in the longer term.

Principles and values

The government wants to continue to build on and strengthen the wave of humanitarian support seen during the first phase. It aims to work closely with ministries, regions, and the non-profit sector, and to actively involve refugees. Solutions should be practical, simple and flexible. The government declares its desire to minimise the negative impact of the measures on the population of the Czech Republic and to strive to find social reconciliation. 

Financial resources

The implementation of phase 1 (rapid stabilisation with approximately 250 000 refugees) foresees a cost of approximately 54 billion CZK (EUR 2 160 000 000) for the implementation of the plan. 
 

Expected costs by ministry (scenario 1) in CZK billion. Image source: Czech Interior Ministry 2022

Basic framework of strategic priorities to cope with the impact of the refugee wave from Ukraine (selection of key measures and expected costs)

I. Coordination and organisational arrangements

The implementation of the measures will be overseen by a national coordinator who will coordinate and manage them in cooperation with ministries, regions and cities. The national coordinator will report directly to the government and will have their own strategic team, including a strategic communication coordinator and a coordinator for securing financial support from the EU budget. The government has temporarily appointed the Minister of the Interior, Vit Rakusan, to this position.

Coordination scheme. Image source: Interior Ministry 2022
  
II. Legal status

The Ministry of the Interior will prepare options for legislative solutions to the situation of extension or termination of temporary protection and coordinate the activity of drafting legislation that needs to be addressed in relation to the current situation. The measure has no direct financial costs.

III. Digitising the management and handling of the refugee wave

The Ministry of the Interior will prepare a proposal for an IT solution for the interconnection of the existing information systems, including the possible impact on legislation. The cost of this measure will be CZK 145 100 000.

IV. Accommodation and housing

The Ministry of Regional Development will submit a proposal for a subsidy programme for financing the repair and reconstruction of flats and non-residential premises owned by municipalities and regions and for the acquisition of mobile/modular homes, map current capacity within municipal housing, and propose a guarantee scheme to motivate private owners to make more flats available for the rental housing market. The Ministry of Regional Development, in cooperation with the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, will address further support for rental housing in vacant flats after the end of the payment of solidarity allowance to households using material need assistance benefits. The cost of this measure will be CZK 10 140 000 000.

V. Employment and labour market integration

The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs will carry out labour market analyses, propose legislative regulation of potentially vulnerable forms of employment, and ensure the implementation of Czech language courses for job seekers, including online courses. The Ministry of Industry and Trade will prepare a marketplace of job opportunities for employees from Ukraine. The cost of this measure will be CZK 2 981 706 400.

VI. Education

The Ministry of Education will screen school capacities, ensure funding for language and adaptation courses for children, and take into account the number of Ukrainian students enrolled in higher education. The cost of this measure will be CZK 12 290 000 000.

VII. Social area

The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs will prepare a capacity screening in the field of social care, create an emergency subsidy for the provision and provision of assistance and care for citizens of Ukraine and for regional and municipal authorities to support increased social work, announce an emergency subsidy for social and community outreach services and for the services of temporary community centres. The cost of this measure will be CZK 2 515 000 000. The total estimated cost of refugee benefits in 2022 will be approximately CZK 12-13 billion. 

VIII. Health provision

The Health Ministry will prepare an overview of care capacities, a proposal to limit the inclusion of persons granted temporary protection who are able to work to the category of state insured persons for a maximum period of 180 days, and consider a mandatory medical examination of Ukrainian children. The cost of this measure will be approximately CZK 9 900 000 000.

IX. Adaptation and integration in the Czech Republic

The Ministry of Interior will ensure staffing and financial strengthening of the Centres for Support of Integration of Foreigners (regional integration centers), ensure strengthening of specialised activities of NGOs focused on direct work with the target group, prepare a proposal for a subsidy for municipalities to support adaptation and integration at the local level. Cost of the measure: CZK 2 530 000 000. 

X. Internal security

The Ministry of Interior will prepare prevention projects to address the impact of the security situation (i.e. crime prevention assistant, operation of crisis lines and volunteering). The cost of this measure will be CZK 361 890 000.

XI. European and international strategy

The national coordinator will develop a comprehensive strategy for the Czech Republic in the framework of European and international cooperation. This measure has no direct financial cost.

XII. Funding

The coordinator will prepare a strategy for securing financial support from the EU budget in cooperation with the departments concerned. The Ministry of Finance will prepare a comprehensive overview of the necessary expenditure for the financing of the refugee wave. This measure has no direct financial cost.

XIII. Communication

The strategic communication coordinator for assistance to citizens of Ukraine shall establish a national communications strategy with a cross-sectoral overlap (communications strategy towards the Ukrainian community, Czech citizens and external communication strategy). The cost of this measure will be CZK 200 000 000.