A recent study conducted by the STEM agency has indicated a decline in Czech citizens’ support for the temporary stay of Ukrainian refugees in the Czech Republic. According to the research, 51% of respondents considered it right for the Czech Republic to continue giving refuge to Ukrainians who fled the Russian invasion, marking a 5% decrease from the data collected in June.

The number of individuals who view Ukrainian refugees as an asset to the Czech Republic has remained consistent. Around a quarter of citizens continue to hold this positive perspective. Similarly, the proportion of those who believe that Ukrainian refugees should be granted the opportunity to stay in the Czech Republic after the end of the war remains at two-fifths.

A significant finding from the survey is that 54% of respondents indicated that their attitudes towards Ukrainian refugees have remained essentially unchanged since the start of the war in February 2022. In contrast, 43% of respondents stated that their attitudes towards Ukrainian refugees had become more negative. Remarkably, almost none reported an improvement in their attitudes towards these refugees.

The research also assessed how the Czech state has managed the arrival of Ukrainian refugees in the face of the Russian invasion. Authorities and institutions in the Czech Republic received an average grade of 3.2 from respondents, with a quarter of people awarding them a grade of 1 or 2, two-thirds rating them with a 3, and a third grading them with a 4 or 5.

Furthermore, the survey shed light on the perceived impact of Ukrainian refugees’ arrival in the Czech Republic. A majority of respondents, 66%, believed that this had the greatest impact on the availability of places in kindergartens and schools. Three-fifths stated that security and crime rates had worsened, while 57% expressed the view that the availability of housing had decreased. Additionally, around two-fifths believed that the availability of healthcare and jobs had worsened, and approximately 30% reported a negative impact on the availability of labor for Czech businesses.

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

The STEM agency has been monitoring the sentiments of the Czech public towards the Russian invasion of Ukraine since March of the previous year and conducted the latest surveys among 1,000 respondents in June and September with financial support from the Bliz k sobe (Closer to One Another) foundation. The study reveals the evolving attitudes and perceptions of Czech citizens regarding the ongoing humanitarian situation in the context of the Ukrainian conflict.

Article by Prague Forum