With accommodation capacity full, CR asks for EU assistance for Ukrainian refugees

The Czech Republic has appealed for assistance under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism in providing accommodation for 50,000 refugees from Ukraine. The state’s accommodation capacities have already been exhausted and it can only provide refugees with emergency shelter, a spokesperson for the national fire service said on Saturday, adding that the Czech Republic can no longer be a destination country for Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s war on their country.

An estimated 200,000 Ukrainian refugees are already in the Czech Republic, with scores of thousands more expected. Around 30 percent of those who have so far registered with the local authorities have been in Prague.

The minister of the interior, Vít Rakušan, said on Saturday that in view of the refugee situation it would be logical to extend the current state of emergency, which began on March 4. It runs for 30 days, when any prolongation would need to be approved by MPs.