Ostrava, North Moravia, Feb 10 (CTK) – Another, third group of Christian refugees from Iraq will arrive in the Czech Republic in a week or two and will be accommodated in the Karmel facility in Smilovice, north Moravia, Martin Frydl, from the Generation 21 Foundation that organises and finances the project, told CTK on Wednesday.
Within it, the Czech Republic will gradually accept several Iraqi Christian families, or a total of 153 people, who are endangered by the aggressive Islamic State in Iraq.
The Czech cabinet approved the plan last year.
Frydl said the date of the third group’s arrival is yet to be specified. The organisers are still settling the air tickets, Iraqi departure permits and other documents for the immigrants.
In Smilovice, a village near the town of Trinec, Generation 21 cooperates with the Catholic Church which is to care for the refugees during their temporary stay in the Karmel facility.
The refugees are to spend two months there before Generation 21 gets flats for them.
In Smilovice, the refugees will attend a Czech language course and social workers will help them cope with acclimatisation and integration in Czech society.
Smilovice Mayor Miroslav Nogol told CTK on Wednesday that he learned about the refugees’ arrival on Monday. He has convoked the town council for next Monday to discuss the families’ accommodation.
“It is important to help people. I believe that the people have been checked and that they pose no danger,” Nogol said.
Nevertheless, he said he is afraid that the facility with refugees might become a target for extremists.
“I believe that local people are prudent. The locals are not bad, there are only 760 of us. However, I am more afraid of an external pressure,” Nogol said.
The first two groups of Iraqi Christian refugees arrived in the Czech Republic the past month. They have been accommodated in the Okrouhlik recreation facility near Jihlava, south Moravia.
