STAN Proposes Czech Citizenship Be Granted Only to Russians Who Renounce Their Russian Passport

The Czech political movement Elders and Independents (STAN) is calling for stricter regulations on granting Czech citizenship to Russian nationals. Under the proposed changes, Russian citizens seeking Czech citizenship would be required to renounce their Russian citizenship before obtaining a Czech passport.

This proposal was introduced by MP Martin Exner of STAN, a member of the parliamentary security committee, who has incorporated this provision into the government’s amendment.

The amendment is tied to the extension of temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees fleeing Russia’s invasion. Exner emphasized that the single citizenship requirement would apply to all Russian nationals, with exceptions made for asylum seekers and other specific cases.

"We cannot allow that at a time when Russia is taking hostile actions not only against Ukraine, but also against us and other EU countries, its citizens can acquire Czech citizenship, and thus all the rights related to it," Exner stated, justifying the proposed change.

This initiative has garnered support from Czechia’s Minister of the Interior, Vít Rakušan, also a member of STAN. Rakušan echoed concerns about national security, stating, "In the current situation, I consider it necessary to strengthen the internal security of the Czech Republic. The security situation requires us to respond to the increased number of requests from Russian citizens for our citizenship."

Although Czech nationals are permitted to hold dual and multiple nationalities under EU regulations, the proposal seeks to create an exception specifically for Russian citizens, driven by the current geopolitical tensions.

Statistics reveal that at the end of last year, a total of 1,065,740 foreign nationals were living in Czechia, marking a 14-fold increase compared to 1993. A significant portion of this growth can be attributed to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, which brought around half a million Ukrainians to the country. Russian nationals, meanwhile, have also been steadily acquiring Czech citizenship, accounting for roughly 20 per cent of foreign nationals granted citizenship between 2019 and 2022. Last year saw a nearly five per cent increase in Russians obtaining Czech citizenship.

Despite the rising number of Russian nationals in the country, they still make up a relatively small percentage of the overall population. Currently, approximately 40,000 Russians hold temporary or permanent residence in Czechia, representing less than 0.4 per cent of the population.

Exner raised concerns about the loyalty of Russian citizens residing in Czechia, pointing out potential security risks. He stated, "It cannot be ruled out that at least a certain part of them consider Czechia to be an enemy state and could be used by Russia in the future for at least various forms of political pressure." He stressed that Russian citizens would need to make a clear decision regarding their allegiance, choosing whether to "belong to Czechia or Russia."

This proposal represents a significant shift in Czechia’s approach to granting citizenship, particularly in light of ongoing geopolitical tensions between Russia and the West.

By fLEXI tEAM