The Czech senate has approved amendments to the Lex Ukrajina law that prohibit granting Czech citizenship to Russians who haven’t renounced their Russian passports, RFE/RL’s Current Time reported on 23 January.
According to the legislation, all current citizenship applications from Russians over 15 years old will be suspended indefinitely under the new version of Lex Ukrajina. The amendment includes limited exceptions for refugees, children under 15, and individuals who have made exceptional contributions to Czech economy or culture.
Russian residents in the Czech Republic and some MPs claimed that the law is discriminatory. The Czech ombudsman previously sent a letter to Interior Minister Vit Rakušan, whose party initiated the amendment, criticizing the bill and raising discrimination concerns.
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