Czech Republic to extend state of emergency over Ukrainian refugees

The Czech government plans to extend the state of emergency, introduced in late February, to the end of June, because of the huge flow of Ukrainian refugees.

Ceska Televize shared the details.

Such a government's proposal should be approved by the House of Representatives, because the state of emergency ends on May 31.

The state of emergency allows the government to take emergency measures on the refugees' situation without the Parliament's approval.

"We can still deal with an unprecedented wave of refugees, but in order to continue to operate as well, we agreed that it will be necessary to ask the Chamber of Deputies to extend the state of emergency for another thirty days," the Chech Prime Minister Peter Fiala said.

As of May 15, 200,000 Ukrainian refugees stayed in the Czech Republic. The Czech authorities issued more than 340,000 humanitarian visas.