PRAGUE – The Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic and the chairman of the SPD movement, Tomio Okamura, demands a complete and immediate end to the temporary protection regime for Ukrainians residing in the Czech Republic. According to him, there are too many Ukrainians in the country, and the current system, in his opinion, harms Czech citizens.
Okamura also stated that, in his opinion, the SPD party partially contributed to achieving a change in the area of issuing temporary protection to Ukrainian men of military age. The party has long criticized the extent of Czech aid to Ukraine and the number of Ukrainian refugees who have received protection in the Czech Republic since the outbreak of the conflict. The Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies now demands a much more stringent approach. His goal is to end temporary protection not only for newly arrived individuals, but for all Ukrainians who are currently benefiting from it. Okamura also demands that benefits provided under this regime be stopped.
"There are too many Ukrainians here," Okamura said, adding that their presence, in his opinion, negatively affects Czech citizens. He argues primarily on the basis of the burden on public finances, the availability of housing, and the pressure on some public services. At the same time, he distinguishes between Ukrainians who work in the Czech Republic and contribute to the country's economy, and other holders of temporary protection. According to him, people with jobs and who are economically active should have the opportunity to transition from temporary protection to a standard residence permit. Others, according to his proposal, should return to Ukraine.
The debate about the future of Ukrainian refugees is one of the most politically sensitive topics in the Czech Republic. Temporary protection was introduced as an extraordinary measure allowing people fleeing war to legally reside in European Union countries. Its continued operation is gradually becoming a subject of political disputes in individual member states. Okamura's demand represents a significantly stricter version of migration policy.
The SPD party has long advocated for limiting the support provided to Ukrainian refugees and placing greater emphasis on their economic self-sufficiency. However, whether and under what conditions it will be possible to end the current system of temporary protection is not decided by the Czech government or the Chamber of Deputies alone. The European legal framework and further developments in Ukraine also play a significant role.
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