Lower house approves extension of temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees until March 2025

The lower house has approved an amendment to the so-called Lex Ukraine, the law which allows the government to deal with the impacts of the Ukrainian refugee wave without the need for a state of emergency. The new provision, which was passed on Friday, would allow Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war in their country to extend their temporary protection in the Czech Republic by another year until the end of March 2025, as well as some other changes, including limiting the time that refugees can stay in free emergency accommodation. The amendment will now go to the Senate for a final vote before being signed into law by the president.