As of midnight, the state of emergency has been in force in the Czech Republic again. On Wednesday, Petr Fiala’s (ODS) government declared it for 30 days to provide more effective care for refugees from Ukraine. Unlike the states of emergency that were repeatedly in force in the last two years due to the epidemic of COVID-19, the current one will not affect the citizens, according to ministers.
In the justification of its resolution, the cabinet explained the need to declare a state of emergency because of the considerable threat to internal order and security due to the migratory wave.
“As a result of the outbreak of an international armed conflict caused by Russian aggression, hundreds of thousands of refugees are leaving the territory of Ukraine. The countries most affected are the countries neighboring Ukraine, in particular Poland. However, thousands of people are also arriving in the Czech Republic, “the government said.
According to the ministers, around 5,000 Ukrainian refugees arrive in the Czech Republic every day, and measures are needed to cope with such a wave, which is only possible in a state of emergency.
A state of emergency is declared for a maximum of one year
According to the government, the state of emergency will enable more flexible and faster coordination of activities, leading to the management of the crisis.
The state of emergency has been repeatedly in force for the past two years due to the epidemic of COVID-19. It lasted 284 days and ended on the night of December 26 last year. “We are declaring it now only to help our Ukrainian compatriots and the people who successfully care for them day and night,” said Deputy Prime Minister Vít Rakušan (STAN).