Prague, Feb 2 (CTK) – Another, second group of Christian refugees from Iraq is to arrive in the Czech Republic at the end of this week, the Generation 21 Foundation that assists in the refugee relocation has written on its website.
The second group is to comprise 22 people, it writes and adds that the foundation members in Irbil, Iraq, are preparing the transfer of another 60 refugees in late February and March.
The first group of relocated Iraqi Christian immigrants arrived in the Czech Republic on January 24. They come from the area of Mosul, which they left over its occupation by Islamic State. From refugee camps in Irbil they went further to Lebanon.
The acceptance of the refugees, proposed by Generation 21, was approved by the Czech government last autumn.
The members of the first refugee group are now in the Vysocina Region, southwest Moravia, where they will spend two to three months.
They are being cared for by social workers and learning Czech in the Okrouhlik centre.
As from mid-2016, when they are expected to gain Czech asylum, they will be able to move freely across the Czech Republic in search of jobs.
Originally, a larger group was to arrive in Prague in January, but some of the people had administrative troubles that kept them back in Lebanon.
Generation 21 is preparing their arrival now. Simultaneously, its workers, together with Interior Ministry officials, organise pre-departure interviews with further refugees and their medical check-ups.
“If everything goes in accordance with schedule, about 60 refugees from Irbil will arrive in the Czech Republic between February 21 and 28, and another group of people two to three weeks later,” Generation 21 writes.
Generation 21 organises and finances the whole 15-million-crown project with the aid of its partners and supporters from among churches and individuals.
In the first year of the refugees’ stay in the Czech Republic, Generation 21 will finance their accommodation and basic needs, and also the integration services such as language courses and courses acquainting them with Czech culture and society.
Generation 21 has collected money for this exclusively from private donors.
