
Written by Expats.cz Staff
Published on 28.03.2022 15:33:00 (updated on 14.04.2022)
Reading time: 27 minutes
From today, the Regional Assistance Center for Ukrainian refugees in Prague is operating at a new location in Vysočany. The new location, lent to the capital by the Central Group for free for the next six months, replaces the previous Prague Congress Center location. Prague Mayor Zdeněk Hřib said that operations at the new location continue to rely on the work of volunteers who can translate from Czech to Ukrainian, and asked anyone interested to sign up for volunteering at icpraha.com or pomahamepraze.sinch.cz.
Od Ätvrtka 14. dubna bude asistenÄnà centrum pro uprchlÃky novÄ fungovat na adrese námÄstà OSN ve VysoÄanech v Praze 9. OtevÃracà doba bude pÅes Velikonoce od 8:00 do 20:00 hodin. Od úterý 19. 4. se provoz vrátà do doby od 7:00 do 21:00 hodin. VÃce zde: https://t.co/CQYrspFiWr pic.twitter.com/nlPrXuvXzm
— Hlavnà mÄsto Praha (@PrahaEU) April 13, 2022
The Assistance Center for Refugees in Prague will move from its current location at the Prague Congress Center to the Central Group building in Vysočany tomorrow morning. The relocation is taking place due to planned events to be held in the Congress Center over the coming weeks. Opening hours at the new location will be adjusted during the Easter weekend, and the center will thereafter run from 07:00 until 21:00. Operations at Prague Congress Center will end at 17:00 p.m. today.
ð¨ð¿ð¬ð§ In Prague, the citizens bring different things to the Russian embassy - "Use them, don't steal from the Ukrainians". A similar action against Russian military marauders is also taking place in London. https://t.co/iUu7FCcwwM
— Alfons López Tena ð¦ (@alfonslopeztena) April 10, 2022
A city representative for Semily, a town in the Liberec Region of the Czech Republic, has attracted major controversy by posting photos online of traditional Czech chlebíčky (open sandwiches) decorated with cheeses in a Z-shape, recalling the symbol used to support Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Bronislav Kalvoda, a representative for the Freedom and Direct Democracy party, later deleted the post from his Facebook profile, but local police are already looking into the matter. Kalvoda has been removed from his position on a local commission and local councilors are calling for his resignation. Police are meanwhile dealing with another case of the "Z" symbol in nearby Turnov, where it was spray-painted onto a flag of Ukraine and a portrait of Václav Havel in a local underpass.
ÅÃkáš si, jak budeÅ¡ zajÃmavý, ale nedocházà ti, že jsi obyÄejný kokot podporujÃcà genocidu. pic.twitter.com/2eqj2AQdN4
— Andrej PoleÅ¡Äuk (@andrewofpolesia) April 11, 2022
Základnà demografické údaje obÄanů Ukrajiny s udÄlenou doÄasnou ochranou.
— Ministerstvo vnitra (@vnitro) April 12, 2022
𺠾 ženy
ð¹ ¼ muži
DÄtà a mladistvých je témÄÅ 40 %. pic.twitter.com/6mvGMsg1Xd
An allowance of CZK 3,000 per person per month available to those sheltering Ukrainian refugees in their homes or vacant flats is available from today. As of the early afternoon, around 500 people had already applied for the benefit, according to the government. The CZK 3,000 allowance is given for each refugee sheltered regardless of their age, although a cap of 12,000 is in place even if accommodation is being provided for more than four refugees. The benefit covers costs for those hosting refugees for more than 16 consecutive days. Applications can be made online on the Labor Office's official website.
DneÅ¡nÃm dnem spouÅ¡tÃme žádosti o solidárnà pÅÃspÄvek pro domácnosti, které ubytovávajà uprchlÃky z Ukrajiny.
— MPSV ÄR (@mpsvcz) April 11, 2022
Žádost je možné podat pouze elektronicky pÅes naÅ¡i aplikaci https://t.co/icxQ9L2vL5. pic.twitter.com/hJye3KLjFp
The Czech Republic has now granted 276,657 special visas to Ukrainians fleeing from the war, including 2,340 on Saturday, according to the latest data provided by the Interior Ministry. More than 161,000 refugees have registered with foreign police, about 1,500 on Saturday. Children under 15, who make up around 35 percent of the refugees in the Czech Republic, are not required to register with foreign police; others must do so within 30 days of entering the country.
The special visas issued to Ukrainians allow them to stay in the Czech Republic for up to one year with access to public health insurance and education. They can also be employed without the need for a work visa, and are eligible for additional assistance including accommodation. The real number of Ukrainian refugees in the Czech Republic is estimated at more than 300,000. The number of visas issued over the past week has been slightly declining.
Data za pÅedchozà den â¬ï¸ pic.twitter.com/CMJAhGUB1V
— Ministerstvo vnitra (@vnitro) April 10, 2022
Czech Radio has expanded its content offer intended for Ukrainian refugees living in the Czech Republic both through its website and a mobile app. It now offers a practical Ukrainian-Czech audio dictionary with lessons for children and adults, as well as fairy tales in Ukrainian from Czech writers. The new content can be accessed online through this link.
"We keep expanding our service for Ukrainians in Czechia," Czech Radio CEO René Zavoral said in a press release, adding that the dictionary helps refugees with communication in a new environment. Fairytales in Ukrainian are very popular with young listeners, Zavoral said, noting that the website also features a folk tale about a goat recorded by Olga Perebyinis, wife of the Ukrainian Ambassador to Prague.
British rock band Pink Floyd released their first new music for 28 years to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia, and Prague's Letná park appears in the song's music video. The song, called "Hey Hey Rise Up", was released today with all proceeds going to Ukrainian Humanitarian Relief. The song is the first released by the band since their 1994 album Division Bell, and features long-time band members David Gilmour and Nick Mason playing their instruments to accompany vocals from Ukrainian singer Andriy Khlyvnyuk. Footage from a benefit concert for Ukraine in Prague's Letná appears briefly at the end of the video in the top-right corner.
The attack on the Kramatorsk railway station, where families with children were waiting to be evacuated, is yet another outrageous crime. Russia is murdering civilians. Russian behaviour is no different from that of terrorist organisations. Russia will face severe consequences.
— Czech MFA (@CzechMFA) April 8, 2022
Spoke with PM @P_Fiala to thank him for the #CzechRepublicâs decision to lead the new #NATO battlegroup in #Slovakia & for the significant support to #Ukraine. In a new security reality caused by #Russiaâs invasion, we must strengthen our defence & continue to stand together.
— Jens Stoltenberg (@jensstoltenberg) April 8, 2022
The Czech Senate has rejected an amendment to the military service law which would allow Czech volunteers to join the Ukrainian armed forces fighting Russia's invasion of the country. Senators rejected the amendment by 63 votes to 35. Prime Minister Petr Fiala and President Miloš Zeman have already promised no punishment for people who want to fight alongside the Ukrainian army. Critics of the proposed amendment enshrining this permission in law argued that it lacked definitions of the precise conditions for joining the Ukrainian army, as well as necessary parliamentary checks.
âï¸Vláda ÄR @strakovka schválila návrh bezprostÅednà pomoci pÅi ochranÄ ohroženého ukrajinského kulturnÃho dÄdictvÃ. Materiál na dneÅ¡nà jednánà vlády pÅedložil ministr kultury @MartinBaxa2. ðhttps://t.co/bLqV2mhRUo pic.twitter.com/RRG8IVINQB
— Ministerstvo kultury (@MinKultury) April 6, 2022
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said that the alliance will urgently help Ukraine re-arm and replenish its supplies in Kyiv over the coming weeks, as it's feared that Russian forces in the east of the country will re-group and launch another major offensive on the capital. NATO allies are therefore speeding up arms deliveries to Ukraine, including reports of tanks and armored vehicles being sent to the country by the Czech military. Stoltenberg warned that Russia is now moving its forces from Kyiv to the east and south of Ukraine to try to take full control of the Donbas region and establish a land connection with annexed Crimea.
âWe expect a further Russian push in eastern and southern #Ukraine, to try to take the entire Donbas and to create a land-bridge to occupied Crimea. So this is a crucial phase of the warâ#NATO Allies are determined to provide further support to ðºð¦ @jensstoltenberg | #ForMin pic.twitter.com/sHDrXshnqZ
— NATO (@NATO) April 5, 2022
ð² Elektronická komunikace se státem i pro prchajÃcà pÅed válkou. Weby https://t.co/debupPq2BI a https://t.co/XWHyKzXxc4 jsou také v UkrajinÅ¡tinÄ ðºð¦
— Ministerstvo vnitra (@vnitro) April 6, 2022
Jak datovky a Identitu obÄana zÅÃdit a proÄ? Poradà informaÄnà letáky dostupné i na KACPU.
VÃce zde â¡ï¸ https://t.co/Bu0bfroQzp pic.twitter.com/GQmdmawkiK
Czech Interior Minister Vít Rakušan said the government is preparing a strategy for the integration of up to half a million Ukrainian refugees. At present, it's thought more than 300,000 Ukrainian refugees have entered the country. Rakušan said yesterday that the country is transitioning from short-term crisis activities to long-term planning. The integration strategy should be presented to MPs next week. Rakušan earlier predicted that up to a third of the refugees who arrive in Czechia will want to stay in the long-term.
Ex-Soviet Heavy Armored spotted being moved out of Storage and onto Trains today in Czechia, this may be some of the Equipment that the Czech Government had received Approval from Germany to send to Ukraine specifically the BMP-1s, these T-72 MBTs are most likely being sent also. pic.twitter.com/cFD9LjTxVH
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) April 4, 2022
A solitary protest called "#Bucha-#Moscow" took place in Moscow. pic.twitter.com/9LP0OWwYH9
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) April 5, 2022
Czech President Miloš Zeman, Prime Minister Petr Fiala, and other politicians have condemned the murder of Ukrainian civilians by Russian troops. The Foreign Ministry called it a war crime on the part of the Putin regime and demanded punishment of those responsible. President Zeman also condemned the murder of civilians in Ukraine as a war crime and called for punishment by an international tribunal. Anatoly Fedoruk, the mayor of Bucha, told the Reuters news agency that over 300 people had been killed in the town.
Prague will host a large-scale benefit concert for Ukraine today from 3:00 p.m. on the spacious Letná Plain, a outdoor open space that has seen a number of significant cultural events over the years including 1989 Velvet Revolution protests.
Titled Together for Ukraine, the concert will feature performances by prominent musical artists and speeches from actors, athletes, and those who have escaped the war in Ukraine. Among the performers at the concert will be Arinka, an 8-year-old musician from Kharkiv who recently arrived in Prague.
For those unable to attend the concert in person, it will also be broadcast live on social media and YouTube through the video below:
Thanks for the âgenerous offerâ, @CzechMFA, but weâll pass. We have plenty of conscience and already maintain the capacity to recognize an ðºð¸ lapdog, when we see one ð https://t.co/ICirPJYN39 pic.twitter.com/51vTH40qPG
— Russian Mission in Geneva (@mission_russian) April 1, 2022
Prague's Direct Action Theatre staged a short performance protesting Russian President Vladimir Putin and the war in Ukraine outside the Russian Embassy in Prague on Friday. With its performance, the theater troupe wanted to show support to both those in Russia who are protesting against Putin's regime, as well as those in Ukraine fighting to defend their homeland.
Members of the theater troupe dressed as Russian police arrested a performer filling in for Putin with a paper mask during the performance. About 20 Prague police officers monitored the event.
The Czech Foreign Ministry has called on Russian diplomats not to serve Vladimir Putin's regime in light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Foreign Ministry also warned that after the war, Russia will face the consequences of its violent acts. The ministry released its appeal to Russian diplomats in English and Russian today, arguing that although diplomats represent their state, "there must be limits" to what people are willing support and that Russian envoys "have been cheated" by their leaders.
ð¨ð¿ Appeal to Russian colleagues, diplomats, men and women of the Russian diplomatic service.
— Czech MFA (@CzechMFA) April 1, 2022
Colleagues, we implore those of you who have a conscience and who maintain the capacity to recognize evil: take yourself out of this circle of accomplices. #StopPutinsLies
Appeal â¬ï¸ pic.twitter.com/dumWJcT8o8
The Czech cabinet has asked the ministries of finance, foreign affairs and industry to work on a sanctions package against Russian entities in the Czech Republic in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský said the country lacks an effective instrument for bringing in effective sanctions against foreign entities, so the three ministries must prepare such an instrument in accordance with Czech law. The ministries will therefore speed up work on the so-called Magnitsky law, enabling sanctions for gross violations of human rights, which the current cabinet had earlier pledged to submit by the end of 2023.
Prague Mayor Zdeněk Hřib has conveyed concern from the Central Crisis Staff of the Czech Republic about the concentration of Ukrainian refugees in some specific regions. There are up to four times more Ukrainian refugees per capita in Prague than other regions, putting a disproportionate strain on the capital's assistance services. Hřib therefore called for better coordination of services for refugees at the national level to better handle the long-term effect of the crisis. Meanwhile, Prague Deputy Mayor Petr Hlubuček said the refugee influx is on a downward trend, with less than half of the number of arrivals seen at the start of March. As such, the Prague Assistance Center for Ukrainian refugees could shorten its opening hours.
Today, the MFA informed the Russian Embassy in Prague that one of its diplomatic staff had been declared persona non grata and was requested to leave Czechia within 72 hours. Together with our Allies, we are reducing the Russian intelligence presence in the EU.
— Czech MFA (@CzechMFA) March 29, 2022
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky praised the Czech Republic's support for his country's resistance to Russian aggression in a Twitter post today. Zelensky said that in a phone call with Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, he expressed his gratitude for the humanitarian and security assistance provided by the Czech Republic, as well as the "exceptional treatment" of Ukrainian refugees who have been welcomed in Czechia. Fiala and Zelensky met in person in Kyiv during an international visit of leaders from the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovenia in mid-March.
Thanked ð¨ð¿ Prime Minister @P_Fiala for supporting ðºð¦ people in the fight against Russian aggression. Noted the significant humanitarian and security assistance, exceptional treatment of Ukrainians who found temporary shelter in the Czech Republic. We really appreciate it!
— ÐÐ¾Ð»Ð¾Ð´Ð¸Ð¼Ð¸Ñ ÐеленÑÑкий (@ZelenskyyUa) March 29, 2022
StÃhaÄi z Äáslavi vyrazili znovu do PobaltÃ. ÄtyÅi mÄsÃce budou stÅežit vzduÅ¡ný prostor Litvy, LotyÅ¡ska a Estonska. LetiÅ¡tÄ Å iauliai dobÅe známe. Byli jsme tam v letech 2009 a 2012. Piloty pÅiÅ¡el pozdravit generál Opata. #WeAreNATO pic.twitter.com/Rhj5aLO6vH
— Armáda ÄR (@ArmadaCR) March 29, 2022
The Czech Republic has frozen assets worth millions of dollars belonging to Russian tycoons as a result of sanctions, according to Prime Minister Petr Fiala. Speaking on television, Fiala didn't name the individuals whose assets have been frozen. He said the government will take care of Czech citizens working for firms owned by the sanctioned Russians, but rejected the idea of nationalizing assets. Other countries to have frozen Russian-owned assets include the U.S., Britain, Canada, Japan, and other EU countries such as France, the Netherlands, and Italy.
HOW WE TREAT TERRORISTS IN PRAGUE:
— Jakub Janda æ¥é å³ (@_JakubJanda) March 26, 2022
Entrance to the Russian Embassy in Prague after some unmarked volunteer citizen on vacation accidentaly spilled over some paint expressing how we see this terrorist state.
We hope Russian Embassy will soon cease to exist in Prague. pic.twitter.com/itkkqqfqhg
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