The Czech government is working to establish a center in Prague by June 2025 that will assist Ukrainian refugees in returning to their homeland after the conclusion of the Russian-Ukrainian war.
Czech Minister of the Interior, Vít Rakušan, revealed the plan, highlighting that the center, already in development in Germany, could eventually expand to Poland and the Czech Republic. The aim is to encourage refugees to return to Ukraine to aid in its post-war reconstruction.
“The goal of the center… is to motivate refugees to return to Ukraine for post-war reconstruction,” Rakušan said, noting that the center should primarily employ Ukrainians, as well as staff from the Czech Ministry of the Interior’s Department of Asylum and Migration Policy. These “unity centers” will provide refugees with essential information about return options, as well as legal aid and other support services.
Though the exact location of the center in Prague has yet to be decided, Rakušan stressed the importance of creating “an accessible and dignified space.” The centers will be funded jointly by the Ukrainian government, the Czech Ministry of the Interior, and the European Union.
Rakušan also pointed out the need for clarity at the EU level regarding the future of the temporary protection system, which grants refugees access to state health insurance, education, and employment opportunities. He stated that, should a ceasefire occur, it would be important to suspend the issuance of temporary protection to prevent a new migration wave.
According to the latest figures from the Czech Ministry of the Interior, approximately 390,000 Ukrainian refugees currently reside in the Czech Republic under temporary protection.
