EU links Ukrainian residency status to military duties as Czech Republic faces labor and diplomatic friction

New European Union regulations extending temporary protection for displaced Ukrainians until March 2028 have come into force, conditioning residency rights on fulfilling military duties for Kyiv.

The policy shift coincides with domestic challenges in the Czech Republic involving Ukrainian affairs. A specialized police unit, Kobra 26, is probing illegal labor supply chains and undeclared agency employment involving Ukrainian workers, with parliamentary committee discussions warning that tax evasion could cost the state billions of korunas.

Simultaneously, official Czech travel to Kyiv has triggered political disputes. Parliamentary Deputy Speaker Barbora Urbanová visited Kyiv following an earlier rejection by the parliamentary steering committee. Meanwhile, Chief of General Staff Miroslav Hlaváč is awaiting defense ministry authorization to attend a military summit in Ukraine.

Sources: Ekonomický deník, iROZHLAS, Respect, Seznam Zprávy