The Czech Bar Association (CBA)'s board called on its website in late February 2022 for its attorneys to 'help Ukraine'. As part of this call, the CBA published and has been continuously updating a list of Czech attorneys who offer pro bono legal assistance and services to refugees from Ukraine. 

The CBA has also set up a transparent account called ADVOCATES TO UKRAINE. Financial contributions collected here will be used for social, health, humanitarian and charitable aid for Ukrainians granted protection in the Czech Republic. 

Advokátní deník, CBA's daily online publication, has published a text summarising the current legal situation of Ukrainian refugees in the Czech Republic and highlighting expected changes. At the moment, Ukrainian citizens fleeing Russian aggression are granted a 'special tolerance visa', pursuant to Section 33(1) of Act No. 326/1999 Coll. on the Residence of Foreigners on the Territory of the Czech Republic. 

The activation of Directive 2001/55/EC on Temporary Protection of 2001, which was provisionally approved by the Council of Ministers of the Interior on 3 March, is expected to take place in the coming days. The duration of this protection, which grants applicants a residence visa, will be one year, but may be extended for a maximum of three years in total.

The aforementioned text also reports on a new draft law - "lex Ukraine" - which the Czech government began discussing on 3 March. This law would align the rights of persons who have obtained a special tolerance visa, even before the law takes effect, with those of persons who obtain temporary protection under the EU Directive. It would also remove the obligation to obtain a work permit, which is currently required. The law is expected to be adopted in a state of legislative emergency in mid-March 2022.