Interior Minister announces changes to refugee aid

The Czech Interior Ministry is preparing to toughen up passport checks when it comes to refugees arriving from Ukraine, the head of the ministry, Vít Rakušan, said on Tuesday. The interior minister also said that he is discussing the possibility of the Czech state switching from the CZK 5,000 financial help that is currently given to refugees arriving from Ukraine to material aid. He told news site Blesk.cz that, to be eligible for a humanitarian aid, refugees from Ukraine will newly have to present their passport bearing a stamp confirming that they crossed the Ukrainian border. The new measure should become valid from Monday, the minister told the news site.

The new measures come in response to problems associated with the migration of Roma people from Ukraine, writes Czech Radio’s news site iRozhlas.cz. Mr Rakušan said on Monday that Roma refugees often have dual citizenship and, as citizens of Hungary, therefore do not have a right claim refugee aid in the Czech Republic. He said that it would be best if people who do not have the right to humanitarian or financial aid did not come to Czechia in the first place. However, he also assured that no one who is in need will be “sent back by train”.