Tomio Okamura, Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies and leader of the “Freedom and Direct Democracy” movement, on April 7 called to end the temporary protection program and financial support for Ukrainian refugees in the Czech Republic.
Source: PRYAMYI
He stated that there are too many Ukrainians in the country, claiming they allegedly abuse social benefits, travel home for holidays, and increase crime rates. Okamura also emphasized that the Czech Republic’s EU membership limits the ability to independently change the rules of temporary protection and urged the government to prioritize the interests of Czech citizens.
Official data show a different picture: in the third quarter of 2025, Ukrainian migrants paid about 8.2 billion CZK in taxes, while the cost of supporting them was 3.9 billion CZK. The number of aid recipients has gradually decreased – from over 234,000 in 2022 to 83,000 as of September 2025.
Experts warn that without Ukrainian workers, construction and manufacturing in the Czech Republic could face problems, contradicting the government’s political statements.
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