The Czech Chamber of Deputies has approved a tightening of asylum and migration laws. The aim of the reform is to gain greater control over the residence of migrants and to speed up administrative procedures.
As reported by the news channel ČT24, the Chamber has decided on far-reaching changes to asylum and migration regulations. In addition to strengthening oversight of the residence status of asylum seekers and migrants, the legislation also aims to accelerate procedures in the area of international protection and to curb potential abuse.
A supplementary motion by the opposition ANO movement was also adopted. This will make it possible to revoke the residence permits of foreign nationals who commit multiple serious offences in the Czech Republic, or to refuse to extend them.
The so-called Lex Ukraine — originally introduced in response to the refugee influx following the Russian invasion of Ukraine — has also been amended. In future, the state will be able to reject applications for protection from Ukrainian refugees if they have already been granted temporary protection in another EU member state.
A total of 75 out of the 134 MPs present voted in favour of the bill, which was supported by the four coalition parties. The ANO and SPD parliamentary groups voted against it, particularly due to objections to the EU migration pact on which the legislation is based. In their view, the pact provides for an unfair redistribution of migrants within the EU.
A proposal by SPD MP Radek Koten to tighten penalties for human smuggling and impose fines of up to ten million crowns on airlines that transport individuals without valid documents to the Czech Republic failed to secure majority support.
The draft law will now be submitted to the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic for further consideration.
