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13th International Scientific Conference
“Economic Policy in the European Union Member Countries”
September 2–4, 2015, Karolinka, CZECH REPUBLIC
ISBN 978-80-248-3796-3
Conference Proceedings
© Faculty of Economics
VSB - Technical University Ostrava, 2015
-454-
CZECH ASYLUM POLICY AND ITS SOCIAL ASPECTS IN THE HISTORICAL DIMENSIONS
Lubomír Nenička1
1 Slezská univerzita, Obchodně podnikatelská fakulta, Univerzitní nám. 1934/3,73340 Karviná
Email:[email protected]
Abstract: The paper analyses the approach towards refugees in the connection with economic and social
development in Czech Republic in the context of the European migration policy in the past and in the present.
The particular attention is paid to the perception of social risks vis-à-vis changing situation of Czechoslovakia.
The paper reminds the connection between the immigration and social policy in the time of Great Depression in
Czechoslovakia. The historical analysis will be based on unpublished archival sources and newspapers.
Czechoslovakia was supposed to be only a transit country offering just a temporary resort for refugees coming
from Germany and Austria during the interwar era. In the second half of the 20th
century immigration to the
Czechoslovakia and the state’s immigration policies were limited by the country’s membership in the socialist
block. After fall of communism immigration represents a new phenomenon for the Czech society. The article
describe main trends in Czech asylum policy and its social aspects. Comparison would reveal striking parallels
of asylum policies and patterns of different periods.
Keywords: Migration, asylum, refugees, social policy, labour market
JEL classification: J15, J61, K37, N34, N44
1. Introduction
The ever increasing rate of refugees is one of the most discussed problem of the present world. The
paper deals primarily with migration policy relating to refugees and asylum seekers. The main goal of
the article is to describe and analyse which factors influenced the changes of Czech asylum policy.
The term refugee is used here according to the definition from United Nations Conventions Relating
to the Status of Refugees. Czech legal system uses the term asylee. Asylum Act from 1999 defines the
asylee as „foreign national who has been granted asylum pursuant to this Act for the term of validity
of the decision of the granting system“. Asylum seeker is by the law defined as applicant for
international protection - it means as „foreign national who may be presumed to be seeking asylum
subsidiary protection in the Czech Republic“. (Asylum Act) Asylees and applicants for international
protection are not economic immigrants, but their migration has also economic and social dimension.
In comparison with Western countries, Czech asylum policy has been influenced by different
historical experience and political factors which had a stronger impact on it. Until 1989, the
predominance of emigration was typical for Czechoslovakia. Between 1918 and 1938, more than
230,000 Czechoslovak citizens emigrated abroad, mainly heading for Western countries. (Drbohlav,
2010). Their motivation was primarily economic. However, political reasons for emigration prevailed
after 1948. Nonetheless, the country became an asylum for tens of thousands political refugees during
the interwar period as well as when the Communist regime started. Their admission was presented as
an act of solidarity as well as an expression of a political opinion and international orientation. Yet
Czechoslovak asylum policy was not based on general social consensus in these cases. Starting with
the First Republic, there were various approaches to political refugees which mirrored several
political, economic and social preferences. From 1948, the asylum policy was limited by the
country’s integration into the Soviet bloc. These factors then formed specific experience with
migration policy in the Czech environment and also influenced its development after 1989.
Czech asylum policy is subject of several books which deal with the main trends of immigration to
the Czechoslovakia and Czech Republic. The basic historical overview can be found in Drbohlav
(2010) or in Barša-Baršová (2005). This monographs describe Czech approach to the asylees and
asylum seekers in the European context. The particular attention was paid to the situation of the
13th International Scientific Conference
“Economic Policy in the European Union Member Countries”
September 2–4, 2015, Karolinka, CZECH REPUBLIC
ISBN 978-80-248-3796-3
Conference Proceedings
© Faculty of Economics
VSB - Technical University Ostrava, 2015
-455-
refugees in the period of the First Czechoslovak Republic. Specially Čapková and Frankl (2008)
reflect critically several myths about liberal approach toward asylum seekers in the interwar
Czechoslovakia. Detailed research was focused on the Greek immigration after Second World War.
The basic informations about history of the Greek community in Czechoslovakia can be found in
Králová and Tsivos (2012) or Botu and Konečný (2005). These books can be understood also as
professional contribution to search for the roots of their authors. The mentioned publications reveal
the important tendencies of Czech asylum policy, but comprehensive monograph still missing. This
paper summarizes main features of Czech asylum policy in the context of current refugee crisis.
2. Asylum policy in the 20th century
2.1 Beginning of modern asylum policy
The concept of the refugee appeared first in the international law in the connection with Russian
emigration at the end of First World War. Around 1, 7 millions persons left Russia after revolutions in
1917. Many of them lost Soviet nationality. Situation repeated in the case of Armenian refugees.
League of Nations created the Arrangement relating to the Issue of Identity Certificates to Russian
and Armenian Refugees. This document contained first international definition of refugee: „Any
person of Russian (Armenian formerly subject of the Ottoman empire) origin who does not enjoy or
who no longer enjoy the protection of the Government of the Union Socialist Soviet Republics
(Turkish Republic) and who has not acquired another nationality.“ (Honusková, 2011) One of the
most important center of Russian emigration was Czechoslovakia. The country became the asylum
for about 20 000 Russian emigrants after Bolshewik Revolution. In 1933 was ratified the Convention
relating to the International Status of Refugees which strengthened protection of refugees.
Convention signed by nine European countries including Czechoslovakia served as model for new
conception of refugees law after Second World War (Jaeger, 2001). The Convention ensured the
„enjoyment of civil rights, free and ready access to the courts, security and stability as regards
establishment and work, facilities in the exercise of the professions, of industry and of commerce, and
in regard to the movement of persons, admission to schools and universities.“(Convention relating to
the International Status of Refugees). After rise of Nazism to power was established High
Commissioner for refugees coming from Germany.
The Czechoslovakia soon became the most important country for asylum seekers in the Central
Europe. The exact number of refugees is unknown but it is estimated that more than 22 000 Germans,
Austrians and Jews found their temporary home in the First Republic. (Čapková-Frankl, 2008).
Czechoslovakia was geographically close, its borders were long and poorly guarded, German
refugees did not need visa to enter the country and they could speak their language without any
problems. (Veselý, 1983) Real conditions of refugees (nowadays called „emigrants”) were influenced
by the fact that Czechoslovakia was supposed to be only a transit country offering just a temporary
resort for refugees coming from Germany and Austria. The right to asylum was not anyhow published
by the legislature and also the status of a refugee was not legally defined. Implementation of some
immigration policies was also constrained by disagreements between „the castle-sided” Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and the agrarian Ministry of Interior. (Čapková-Frankl, 2008) This Ministry of the
Interior and its institutions preferred restrictive policy which became dominant in the second half of
the 1930´s. Solidarity was limited by social and economic factors.
2.2 Refugees in Czechoslovakia and limits of solidarity
The First Czechoslovak Republic is widely thought of as a country with liberal immigration policy. It
enjoys such a reputation mainly due to the welcoming attitude towards refugees from Nazism in the
first half of 1930´s. However, reality is somewhat more complex. The Czechoslovak government
13th International Scientific Conference
“Economic Policy in the European Union Member Countries”
September 2–4, 2015, Karolinka, CZECH REPUBLIC
ISBN 978-80-248-3796-3
Conference Proceedings
© Faculty of Economics
VSB - Technical University Ostrava, 2015
-456-
implemented first legislative measures that were meant to prevent potential unwelcome consequences
of immigration before rise of the crisis. Their primary goal was to protect domestic labour force.
More specifically, in 1928 the government approved a draft bill on protection of domestic labour
market which stated that employees could employ foreigners only if they had obtained an official
permission. These permissions were either granted or refused to be granted and they were depended
on the situation on the labour market.
The bill on protection of domestic labour market influenced the position of the refugees. Their
situation was complicated by possible different interpretations of domestic and international
legislation. The approaches of some groups of refugees are represented in the resolution of Ukrainian
associations from 1934. According to their leaders the Ukrainian refugees obtained in
Czechoslovakia the residence permit on the basis of the asylum´s right and they could participate in
the domestic labour market. The situation changed since the late of 20th years. Employers began to
refuse the foreigners including the Ukrainians. According to their representatives they should not
have been considered as foreigners in the sense of the valid legislation. As political emigrants without
nationality they should have access to the domestic labour market. Ministry of Social Affairs
confessed that majority of the Ukrainian refugees arrived to the country before 1923 and so they
could obtained permission (National Archive in Prague a). Various national corporations warned
before the growth of immigrants and its consequences. For example the National Czechoslovak
Council in resolution for the Ministry of the Interior reminded the increased numbers of immigrants
in the country, According to the census from 1930, 158 149 foreigners lived in Czech lands. Many of
them worked on the important positions in the industry – specially in the borderland The number of
German professors at the Prague University increased too. The National Council asked the
government to prevent the influx of foreign experts and scholars, who should be replaced by Czech
people. (National Archive in Prague b) Also the representatives of the Agrarian Party interpellated the
government in the question of the growing numbers of foreigners - especially from Germany. They
argued that a part of these refugees had used the asylum in an economic way at the expense of the
Czechoslovak citizens and domestic production. According to Agrarian politicians, the immigrants
got well paid jobs in industry, trade, and in agriculture. They especially criticized employing of the
foreigners in the companies important for the defence of the state. The members of the parliament
also referred to the negative consequences of the German refugees´ influx for the national relations.
The government was supposed to control the employment of the immigrants and guarantee the
implementation of the law for the protection of the domestic labour market. (National Archives in
Prague c) The representatives of business corporations complained on generosity towards refugees
from Germany. According to National Unity of Northern Bohemian their influx deepened social
consequences of Great Depression and strengthened position of German minority. Czech
corporations suggested strengthening of control and concentration of refugees in camps in the inland.
(National Archives in Prague d)
Material relief to refugees came mostly from various „relief committees”. Since March 1933
Human Rights League had participated in relief activities and the Relief Committee or Šalda´s
Committee – named after its founder, F.X. Šalda – was founded at around the same time. These
organisations aimed at providing material and moral support to the German and Austrian refugees,
„especially from the ranks of intellectuals”. In the middle of the 1930´s the immigration policies were
further tightened. Real conditions of refugees (nowadays called „emigrants”) were influenced by the
fact that Czechoslovakia was supposed to be only a transit country offering just a temporary resort for
refugees coming from Germany and Austria. We can see this reflected in the fact that employers were
forbidden to employ foreigners in order to prevent increasing unemployment of Czechoslovak
citizens in the times of economic depression. Jewish refugees got into a much more peculiar situation.
They often obtained residency permit only on the condition of moving out of the country in a short
time. Authorities tried to keep them away from entering the country. Jews fleeing to Germany and
13th International Scientific Conference
“Economic Policy in the European Union Member Countries”
September 2–4, 2015, Karolinka, CZECH REPUBLIC
ISBN 978-80-248-3796-3
Conference Proceedings
© Faculty of Economics
VSB - Technical University Ostrava, 2015
-457-
later to Austria did not obtain a status of political refugees; instead they were termed as unwelcome
„economic immigrants”. (Čapková-Frankl, 2008). The right-wing media defended the strict measures
against refugees taken by the Czechoslovak security authorities by argument that „under the veil of
emigrants are often hidden completely dirty, dangerous criminals and parasites”. After the
Anschluss of Austria in March 1938, rejection of Jewish immigrants culminated. A critical remark of
one of the right-wing dailies can serve as an example. It pointed out to the continuing presence of
Austrian Jews who had been meant to stay only temporarily: according to this remark, presence of
Austrian Jews led to raising dissatisfaction among Czechs. This was explained in economic rather
than in openly discriminatory terms. In 1937, a decree to concentrate all refugees in the Vysočina
region was introduced which represented the peak of these restrictive measures. Obviously, this plan
was not officially launched because its realisation would mean the disintegration of relief activities.
Moreover, it evoked a wave of protests both at home and abroad and has therefore never been fully
realized. The Ministry of Interior has never called it off, however (Čapková-Frankl, 2008).
The restrictive approach was fully enforced after the Munich Agreement, at the time of so-called
Second Republic. The state aid was stated only to Czech re-settlers. According to the prevailing
public opinion, the country could not extend help to fugitives from other countries and from occupied
borderlands. As wrote the famous journalist Milena Jesenská, help for refugees was „beyond our
power”: „It is not our fault that they have had to put up with such bad experiences. As long as our
home stood firm, we were hospitable and kindhearted. Now all we can do is to wish them the new and
good life, somewhere far away." (Jesenská, 1997) Several papers distinguished between refugees
from Russia and Germany . Negative attitude towards foreign refugees was newly shared also by
Left-wing parties. After the Munich even the Social Democrats newspapers required a deportation of
the „unwanted foreigners”. (Duch času). In the time of the Second Republic Czechoslovak authorities
only continued in some of the tendencies of the previous period. A strict approach towards Jewish
refugees, whose numbers rocketed after „Cristal Nacht” in November 1938, is documented in the
directions given by the Zemský úřad v Brně/Lands Authority in Brno (ZÚB): Ministry of Interior
ordered ZÚB to enact a decree by which frontier guards would strengthen protection of borders and
prevent further influx of Jews from abroad. The ZÚB later on received information that some of the
guards had not acted vigorously enough and had been too considerate towards the refugees.
Therefore, frontier guards were to be properly instructed and to be rid of any benevolence towards
fleeing German Jews because „influx of strange elements to Czechoslovakia is absolutely
undesirable”. (Provincial Archive in Opava).
After Second World War Czechoslovakia was newly construed as the national state of Czechs and
Slovaks. About 2,820,000 Germans were banished and transferred from Czechoslovakia to Germany
or Austria. The typical emphasizing of “purification” expressed the determination to create
a homogeneous society, free of all unwanted foreign ethnic groups and their domestic accomplices.
(Uherek, 2011) According to Spurný (2011) efforts to eliminate everything which was foreign and
threatening to this homogeneity were „the other side of the coin of constructive optimism, and an
essential part of the engineering approach to the society”. Aspirations to establish an ethnically
homogenous society also influenced the Jewish community already affected by the Holocaust. Jews
in Czechoslovakia were criticized for the continuing use of German (or Hungarian) and they were de
facto encouraged to assimilate, which was supposed to be an expression of their national reliability.
(Nové Slovo) The new trend was ethnically selective immigration policy. Inland and depopulated
area of the Sudetenland in 1947 and 1950 were settled by about 202 526 returnees from Ukraine,
Romania, Bulgaria and also from non-European countries (USA, Canada, Argentina, Brazil etc.).
The largest group was 33 000 Volhynian Czechs. To a lesser extent there have come also the foreign
immigrants – namely 12 000 Bulgarian agricultural immigrants. (Drbohlav, 2010). Czechoslovakia
became a refuge for about 13 000 Greeks who left their war-torn country. Greek community in
Czechoslovakia was one of the largest in the Soviet bloc - more Greek emigrants (14 000) lived only
13th International Scientific Conference
“Economic Policy in the European Union Member Countries”
September 2–4, 2015, Karolinka, CZECH REPUBLIC
ISBN 978-80-248-3796-3
Conference Proceedings
© Faculty of Economics
VSB - Technical University Ostrava, 2015
-458-
in USSR. (Králová- Tsivos, 2011). At the end of 1940´s, Czechoslovakia was offering them so called
hospitality which supposed to be only temporary. Only later this „hospitable stay” had changed into
political asylum. (Botu-Konečný, 2005) Asylum right was codified only in the constitution of 1960 as
well as labour migration, which was limited to eastern bloc countries. Later on, efforts to deepen
economic cooperation between socialist countries found their expression in immigration of several
thousands of Polish, Vietnamese and citizens of other socialist countries.
3. Changes of asylum policy in the European and Czech context
3.1 Postwar immigration to Europe - the past and the present
Migration became an increasingly important phenomenon in postwar Europe. According to
American authors Castles and Miller migration in the end of 20th century characterise four general
tendencies – globalisation, accelerations (rapid growth of immigrants), differentiation (most
countries have experience with different types of immigration) and feminisation of migration
(Castles-Miller 1993, 8). The numbers of immigrants in the EU member states rose from 3.7 million
in 1950 to 16 million in 1990 (Bade 2004) and as a consequence, migration became an increasingly
important phenomenon. After the war was also create new definition of refugee incorporated in the
Convention Relating to the Status of Refugee of 1951. According to the Convention a refugee is
person who „owing the well-founded fear for being persecuted for reasons of race, religion,
nationality, membership of particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his
nationality is unable, or owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that
country..“ (Convention Relating to the Status of Refugee).
European policies regulating immigration were very liberal in 50th and 60th years. The
consequences of the economic crisis in 1970s contributed to the shift in the labour immigration
policy. Immigrants have since been considered a threat to the „welfare state“, a problem, and the
welcoming immigration policy has been openly criticized. At the same time, immigrant communities
have begun to (per)form an important component of local population. In many West and North
European countries the proportion of immigrants and asylum seekers in the 1990s reached 5-10 % of
total population. This demographic development thus only deepened the negative impact of
immigration. As a consequence, immigration policies have been increasingly influenced by economic
downturns, rising unemployment rates and unsuccessful attempts at integrating foreigners. Problems
with the integration of immigrants opened up a room for a public discussion about the sustainability
of immigration policies. Since 1990s, the previously enhanced concept of multiculturalism has been
heavily criticized.
Barša and Baršová (2008) distinguish several phases of European migration policy:
Migration connected with reconstruction of postwar Europe and labour immigration
(1945-1974)
Changes of migration policy after economic crisis (1975)
Diversification of receiving countries and growth of asylum seekers (1989-1999)
Return to work migration with preference of skilled worker (since 1999)
Continuing of European integration created conditions for coordination new asylum policy. As its
main goal was declared the development of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS). The
directions for harmonization of European asylum policy were determined in several EU documents
(EU Council Conclusion from Tampere in 1999, The Hague Program from 2004, The Green Paper
2007 and Policy Plan on Asylum introduced by European Commission in 2008. (Ministry of the
Interior of the Czech Republic.) The main milestone in the European asylum policy becames Dublin
Convention which was entered into force in 1997.
13th International Scientific Conference
“Economic Policy in the European Union Member Countries”
September 2–4, 2015, Karolinka, CZECH REPUBLIC
ISBN 978-80-248-3796-3
Conference Proceedings
© Faculty of Economics
VSB - Technical University Ostrava, 2015
-459-
New conflicts, political instability in the Middle East and Africa lead to growth of number of
political refugees heading to Europe. Number of asylum applicants in 2014 was the highest number
of asylum applicants within the EU since the peak in 1992 (672 thousand applications in the EU 15).
Trends in the numbers of refugees see in the Tab. 1. Asylum seekers originate prevailly from Kosovo
(48 900 first time asylum applicants), Syria (29 100) and Afghanistan (12 900). One of the most
important factor in the current refugee crisis is the Syrian civil war. The Office of the United Nations
High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Government of Turkey registered 4 089 023
refugees from Syria - 1 938 999 in Turkey, 1 113 941 in Lebanon, 625 245 in Jordan, 250 408 in Iraq,
132 375 in Egypt (UNHCR).
Tab. 1 Asylum and new asylum applicants - annual aggregated data - EU and chosen country
2009 2011 2013 2014
EU 28 266,395 309,820 432,055 626,710
Czech Republic 1,245 755 710 1,155
Germany 33,035 53,345 126,995 202,815
Greece 15,925 9,310 8,225 9,435
Spain 3,005 3,420 4,495 5,615
France 47,625 57,335 66,265 64,310
Italy 17,670 40,355 26,620 64,625
Hungary 4,670 1,695 18,900 42,775
Poland 10,6 6,890 15,245 8,025
Slovakia 820 490 440 330
Sweden 24,260 29,710 54,365 81,325
United Kingdom 31,695 26,940 30,820 31,945
Source: Eurostat
Last data show differences in the situation of the individual member states of EU. Most of refugees
applied for asylum in Germany and in Hungary. In the case of this country increased number of first
time asylum applicants significantly in the comparison with previous quarter - in Germany (+32 %) in
Hungary (+17 %). All numbers see in the Table 2. But Hungary is not target country for this kind of
migrants, their goal is evidently get themselves to the rich states in Western and Northern Europe. On
the other side, only 2 610 applied for asylum in Greece. This unbalance deepened critic addressed to
South European countries. Efforts of European Commission to strengthen principles of solidarity
aroused very contradictory reactions in member states of EU.
13th International Scientific Conference
“Economic Policy in the European Union Member Countries”
September 2–4, 2015, Karolinka, CZECH REPUBLIC
ISBN 978-80-248-3796-3
Conference Proceedings
© Faculty of Economics
VSB - Technical University Ostrava, 2015
-460-
Tab. 2 First time asylum applicants in the EU (First quarter 2015)
First quarter 2015 Share in EU total (%)
EU 28 184 815
100
Czech Republic 355
0,2
Germany 73 120
39,6
Greece 2610 1,4
Spain 2035 1,1
France 14770 8
Italy 15 245
8,2
Hungary 32 810
17,8
Austria 9 705
5.3
Slovakia 50 0
Sweden 11 415
6,2
United Kingdom 7 335
4
Source: Eurostat
3.2 Asylum policy in Czech Republic and its specifics
As a consequence of opening the country’s borders after 1989 and developing European integration,
the Czech society has to face more complex migration trends. The Czech Republic has gradually
become a target country for increasing numbers of refugees and immigrants whose presence is often
considered as threatening. In the first half of the 90’s, the program of foreigners’ integration was
focusing only on refugees. From 1994, its specific expression was the National Assistance Program
for Integration which was to provide rental housing for refugees, and later also counseling and free
courses of the Czech language. The Act No. 326/1999 Sb. established three basic categories of
foreigners - citizens of the EU and EES member states and Switzerland, citizens of countries outside
EU („third country nationals“) and other foreigners (applicants for international protection,
applicants for temporary protection, foreigners staying illegally in the CR). Czech legal system use
the term „foreigners“ (not „immigrants“). The change in the relationship to refugees was brought by
the new Asylum Act of 1999 which incorporated the EU legislation – the Dublin Convention and the
London Resolution of 1992. This Act also introduced new terminology. A person recognized as a
refugee was newly called „an asylee, and people applying for the refugee status were defined as
asylum seekers”. The Act greatly expanded some rights of asylees. They were allowed to reside
outside the asylum facilities and also enter the Czech labor market without the need of work permits.
Asylees were also entitled to financial support up to the subsistence level. The Act also addressed the
program of integration which had previously been delimited by government regulations. In 2002, an
amendment to the Asylum Act was adopted. It introduced new restrictive elements in response to the
growth in applications for asylum in the previous years. The growth peaked in 2001 when 18,094
13th International Scientific Conference
“Economic Policy in the European Union Member Countries”
September 2–4, 2015, Karolinka, CZECH REPUBLIC
ISBN 978-80-248-3796-3
Conference Proceedings
© Faculty of Economics
VSB - Technical University Ostrava, 2015
-461-
applications were submitted. The aim of the amendment was to reduce the abuse of asylum as an
instrument to be granted legal residence in the country and get a job. Asylum seekers were not able to
get a job for the period of one year after the beginning of the asylum procedure anymore. Refugees
who were situated in detention centers for foreigners (in the so called detention facilities) had to apply
for asylum within seven days after being admitted there. Another change occurred in 2006 when the
possibility of obtaining asylum was extended by the so called subsidiary protection. It was focused
for foreigners who did not meet the conditions for being granted the asylum, but they would be in
great danger if they returned to their country of origin.
Tab. 3 Asylum applicants and asylum granted in Czech Republic
Year Number of applicants for
international protection
Number of asylum
granted
2000 8788 133
2001 18094
83
2002 8484
103
2003 11400 208
2004 5459 142
2005 4021 251
2006 3016
268
2007 1878
191
2008 1656
157
2009 1258 75
2010 833
125
2011 756 108
2012 753 49
2013 707
95
Source: Foreigner in Czech Republic. Czech statistical office
According to citizenship prevailed among applicants for international protection asylum seekers from
Ukraine, Syrian Arab Republic, Vietnam, Russia and Armenia. (Foreigner in Czech Republic. Czech
statistical office) Decreasing numbers of asylees and applicant for international protection show
rather restrictive character of Czech asylum policy. The cause of significant decrease in 2002 is
amendment to the Asylum Act. Czech Republic has no strong experience with long-term residence of
culturally different asylees. This fact and low number of refugees influence possibilities of their
integration.
At the end of the nineties the state began create the conception of integrating foreigners into
society. As the first, the Interior Ministry started to handle the integration of immigrants and the
agenda was later committed to the Ministry of the Labour and Social Affairs. Foreigners from third
13th International Scientific Conference
“Economic Policy in the European Union Member Countries”
September 2–4, 2015, Karolinka, CZECH REPUBLIC
ISBN 978-80-248-3796-3
Conference Proceedings
© Faculty of Economics
VSB - Technical University Ostrava, 2015
-462-
countries make up more than a half of foreigners with a residence permit (67 %); citizens from EU,
EES and Switzerland make up one third. The main source countries are Ukraine, Slovakia, Vietnam,
Russia and Poland. The government concept from the beginning of 21st century is inspired by the
European trends and in line with that it supports the individual integration, which is based on solid
legal basis.(Baršová 2005). The new established Centers for the support of the integration of
foreigners (Centra pro podporu integrace cizinců - CPIC) were opened by Refugee Facilities
Administration of the Ministry of Interior first in four regions (Moravian-Silesian, Pardubice, Plzeň
and Zlín region) in 2009. Later the same centers were established in further regions of the Czech
Republic. CPIC presents the third-country nationals who are staying in the Czech Republic under
long-term or permanent residence permit as their target group. According to the official presentation
of the centers the goal of the project „is to create opportunities for long-term strategic support of
integration of foreign nationals.“ CPIC cooperates with the regional and municipal offices, the
Foreign Police, employment agencies, tax authorities, trade license offices and with others entities.
These new regional centers emphasize teaching the language of the majority population in their work.
Adoption of the language is considered as one of the key preconditions for successful integration.
Centers provide also other services (advisory and information activities, legal counselling,
social-culture courses, internet point and library). This services are provide free of charge. The
important point for the formation of the Centers was the possibility to use the European Fund for
Integration of Third Country Nationals 2007–2013 for their financing. Basic organizational units of
the Ministry of the Interior responsible for asylum policy in Czech Republic are: Asylum and
migration policy department, the Refugees Facilities Administration and Foreign Police Service. The
Refugees Facilities Administration (Správa uprchlických zařízení - SUZ) was established in 1996 as
the budgetary organisation of the Ministry of the Interior. SUZ provides the detention of foreigners
and also created the CPIC in county towns. SUZ is in charge of two Reception centers (Praha airport,
Zastávka u Brna), two Residential centres (Kostelec nad Orlicí, Havířov), three Integration Asylum
Centers (Brno, Jaroměř, Předlice) and Facilities for Detention of Foreigners (Bělá pod Bezdězem).
(The Refugees Facilities Administration) Czech Republic became the target country for thousands
applicant for international protection.
Czech society remains ambiguous towards immigrants. According to opinion polls majority of
Czech society negatively evaluates the presence of foreigners in the country. But part of the Czech
population agree that foreigners solve problems with labour shortages in some sectors. (See Tab. 4)
Czechs show more sympathy towards immigrants who choose an assimilation model of adaptation.
Tab. 4 Public opinion in Czech Republic (Spring 2014)
Definitely
agree (%)
Rather agree Definitely
disagree
Rather
disagree
Too much foreigners work
in CR
34 43 20 3
„Foreigners take our jobs“ 38 35 23 4
Foreigners solve
problems with labour
shortages in some sectors
9 32 37 22
Zdroj: STEM (Centre of empirical research)
Migration newly becames subject of public discussion and topic for politicians. Czech political
parties had mostly pragmatical approach to the legal migration in the past. Anti-immigrant rhetoric
was rare. For example populist Dawn of Direct Democracy in the election to the European
13th International Scientific Conference
“Economic Policy in the European Union Member Countries”
September 2–4, 2015, Karolinka, CZECH REPUBLIC
ISBN 978-80-248-3796-3
Conference Proceedings
© Faculty of Economics
VSB - Technical University Ostrava, 2015
-463-
parliament obtained 3,12 % and no mandate. But in the connection with refugee crisis and with rise of
terrorism immigration have changed into acute political topic in Czech Republic too. All important
political parties opposed immigration quota in member state of the EU. The refusal of quota is also
official standpoint of the Czech government. Czech politicians and majority of the society prefer
foreigners who will be able to integrate. We can see many parallels between present asylum policy
and approach to refugees in the era of First Czechoslovak Republic. Emphasizing of possible social
and security consequences of immigration determines character of public discussion.
4. Conclusion
The First Czechoslovak Republic was the most important country for asylum seekers in Central
Europe. The relationship between Czech society and refugees was characterised by opposing
tendencies – developing civic society promoted solidarity but the non-existence of a concept of
immigration policy and certain elitism weakened it. In the inter-war period there was practically not
used the human capital of immigrants. Czechoslovakia used to be an asylum for political refugees and
there was consistently suppressed the labour migration. In the pre-War Czechoslovakia, generosity
towards foreigners was, therefore, limited. This proved true after the Munich Agreement. Facing
huge pressure brought about by the Agreement, proclaimed tolerance towards „foreign emigrants”
was replaced by a belief that it is necessary to promote national interests.
The economic aspects of immigration became dominant in Czech Republic after 1989. Tolerance
and openness thus seem to have been pushed into recess by the influx of culturally distinct immigrant
groups as well as economic crisis in West Europe too. The underlying problem in Europe is the
conflict between a secular definition of Europeanness with an identity that is primarily understood in
religious terms. To interpret this solely as a conflict between a secular European society and a
religious one would not be accurate, however. Integration policies have failed and new generations of
immigrants have radical and uncompromising interpretation of religious practices and traditions
which deviates sharply from the religion of their parents. The influx of immigrant leads to the search
for a new national and cultural identity which is often defined in an opposition to the distinct world of
the „others. In the Czech Republic there is a clear effort to inspirate by the experience of Western
countries Prevailing approaches confirm the trends towards the consolidation of individual
integration. The main tendencies of Czech asylum policy in the present time are influenced by
specific historical development including postwar national homogenization of the country and
emphasizing of potential negative social and security impacts of migration. The solution of current
refugee crisis on the European level should be the consistent differentiation between economically
motivated immigration and political asylum. Political representations should analyse experiences
from asylum policy in the past and should evaluate possible perspectives and risks of its further
development. One of first step in this process should be public factual discussion involving the debate
conception of European and national identity and values.
Acknowledgment: This paper was supported by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports Czech
Republic within the Institutional Support for Long-term Development of a Research Organization in
2015.
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