The Senate of the Czech Republic closed the way to citizenship for Russians who did not renounce their Russian passport
Senate of the Czech Republic confirmed the “Lex Ukraina” law, which introduces restrictions on obtaining Czech citizenship by Russians, if they have not previously renounced their Russian passport.
Proponents of the law argue that such measures are justified in the current conditions. On the one hand, Russia has been waging war against Ukraine for three years, and on the other hand, a large part of the Russian diaspora in the Czech Republic supports the Kremlin’s policy or has connections with the special services of the Russian Federation.
All current requests for Czech citizenship by Russians over the age of 15 will be suspended for the duration of the law, which in the new version is indefinite. Exceptions will apply only to certain categories, such as refugees, children under 15, and those who have made a significant contribution to the economy or culture of the Czech Republic.
However, the adopted law caused criticism from some Russians living in the Czech Republic and some Czech deputies. It is considered discriminatory. The ombudsman of the Czech Republic previously addressed the Minister of Internal Affairs Vit Rakušan, the initiator of this amendment, with criticism, noting that the draft law raises serious questions in the field of equal rights.
The Czech Republic is known for its strict requirements for obtaining citizenship. Foreigners must live in the country for at least 10 years, of which at least five years — with a permanent residence permit. In addition, you need to be clean, speak the Czech language, have a stable income, and pass an exam on the history, culture and system of the Czech Republic.
