First Syrian refugees coming in October

First Syrian refugees coming in Octoberimage

14 Aug 2015

The first Syrian families with ill children are to arrive in the Czech Republic in October to be treated in local hospitals by the end of the year, the Interior Ministry’s representatives told reporters today.

Besides, the first 50 out of 400 Syrian refugees should arrive from refugee camps in Jordan at the end of 2015, they added.

In January, the government decided to accept 15 families of Syrian refugees. The first group of children was originally selected to arrive in mid-2015. However, their security screening was halted due to the children’s health condition. Some of them were diagnosed with congenital genetic defects that could not be cured successfully.

This is why the Interior Ministry started selecting other candidates for medical treatment.

Deputy Interior Minister Jiří Nováček said 11 families had been listed so far. They must yet undergo a security screening, he noted.

During the final mission in Jordan in September, Czech doctors will examine the children and interview their parents.

After the arrival in the Czech Republic, the children will be treated in the Prague-Motol Teaching Hospital and their families will be adapting to the new environment.

As from next year, they should be gradually integrated into society.

The Interior Ministry also plans to accept the first group of refugees from the countries outside the EU.

Nováček said they would also have to pass a security screening and be potentially capable of integrating into Czech society.

Quite small and complete families with young children will be preferred along with refugees with links to the CzechRepublic, he added.

“We expect the first group of ten families or about 50 people to arrive in the Czech Republic at the end of the year,” said Nováček, adding that others should arrive quarterly.

He also said a transit resettlement center would be established in Jordan to prepare refugees for relocation. They should spend one to three months in this centre.

The Czech government agreed to accept 1,500 refugees (1,100 from Italy and Greece and 400 from refugee camps in the Middle East) by the end of 2017.

The decision on their resettlement will be made after it is formally approved in the EU, probably in October, Nováček said.

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