Czech Public Support For Presence of Ukrainian Refugees is Falling

Czechs’ support for the temporary stay of Ukrainian refugees in the Czech Republic has declined in recent months, according to research by the STEM agency.

51% of respondents considered it right for the Czech Republic to continue giving refuge to Ukrainians who fled the Russian invasion, 5% less than in June.

The number of people who think the Ukrainian refugees are an asset to the Czech Republic has not changed. As in the summer, around a quarter of citizens hold this view, and similarly, those thinking that Ukrainian refugees should be given the opportunity to stay in the Czech Republic after the end of the war remain at two-fifths.

Some 54% of respondents said their attitudes towards Ukrainian refugees have remained basically unchanged since the start of the war in February 2022. On the contrary, 43% stated that their attitudes towards them had become more negative. Almost no-one said their attitudes had improved, the researchers added.

The survey also assessed how the Czech state has dealt with the arrival of people fleeing Ukraine in the face of the Russian invasion. Authorities and institutions in the Czech Republic were given an average grade of 3.2, with a quarter of people giving them a 1 or 2 grade, two-thirds giving them a 3, and a third grading them with a 4 or 5.

According to the respondents, the arrival of Ukrainian refugees in the Czech Republic had the greatest impact on the availability of places in kindergartens and schools. Some 66% perceived this to be the case.

Three-fifths said security and crime rates have worsened, while 57% also believe that the availability of housing has reduced, and around two-fifths believe that the availability of healthcare and jobs has worsened. About 30% also reported a negative impact on the availability of labour for Czech businesses.

According to STEM, two-fifths of respondents expect the arrival of Ukrainian refugees to have a negative impact on the Czech economy in the next five years.