The Largest Refugee Center in the Czech Republic is Closing

At midnight, the Prague Assistance Center, one of the largest organizations in the country dedicated to helping refugees, will close.

Prague Mayor Zdeněk Hřib (Pirates) claimed that the capital is no longer able to accept more refugees. He has said that at Friday’s meeting with Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS) he will demand that the refugees be distributed to other regions based on their population. Fiala called the closure of the center “unreasonable”.

One of the primary objectives of Friday’s meeting is to discuss who bears the financial and political responsibility of taking in and providing for refugees.

“Not only in Prague but in other regional capitals too, there are also increasing rents. This is pushing up the cost of living in the context of the energy crisis and inflation, so I wonder who will solve it? ” Hřib declared.

The Prague Assistance Center has helped almost 100,000 refugees since the beginning of its operation. Recently, that has meant that over 500 people a day will check in to the center. For example, on Tuesday, 622 people were checked in in Prague.  The accommodation was provided for 60 and 41 were transferred to other KACPUs for clearance.

Since the start of the war in Ukraine, almost 8 million people have left the country, with almost as many displaced internally. Almost 400,000 have been granted temporary protection visas in Czechia, allowing them to stay for up to a year.