Some Ukrainian refugees will receive less support from Slovakia starting in March next year, following a swift and minor amendment to immigration laws — the Act on the Residence of Foreigners and the Asylum Act — approved by coalition legislators on Thursday.
This was reported by The Slovak Spectator, according to Ukrinform.
From March 1, 2025, individuals granted Ukrainian refugee status after February 28, 2025 will be permitted to stay in asylum facilities for a maximum of 60 days, down from the current 120 days. Similarly, the accommodation allowance will be limited to the first 60 days, rather than 120 days as has been the case since July of this year.
The changes, approved through a fast-track legislative procedure without consultation with, for instance, non-governmental organizations helping refugees, will not affect vulnerable groups such as pensioners over 65, children under five, or single caregivers of these children.
These revisions have drawn criticism from opposition MPs, including Zuzana Stevulova and Lucia Plavakova (both from Progressive Slovakia), who condemned the last-minute addition to the already submitted amendment during a November 27 human rights parliamentary committee meeting.
The changes, which concern Ukrainian refugees arriving in Slovakia, were first introduced by coalition MPs during a meeting of the defense and security committee on Wednesday.
The last-minute changes affecting future Ukrainian refugees arriving in Slovakia were first presented by coalition MPs during Wednesday’s session of the defense and security committee.
Deputy Interior Minister Peter Krauspe defended the changes in the committees, claiming that Ukrainian refugees generally secure employment and housing within two months of arriving in Slovakia. He cited an unspecified analysis to support his point. “We need to save money where possible,” Krauspe told the defense and security committee on November 27, arguing that Slovakia is one of the region’s most generous countries in supporting Ukrainian refugees.
The government claims that the measures will save the Interior Ministry EUR 2 million, a necessary step given current pressures on public spending.
The opposition has also criticized Russia-friendly Prime Minister Robert Fico for his plans to visit Moscow next year and accused him of encouraging Ukrainians to seek refuge elsewhere, despite Slovakia’s need for tens of thousands of foreign workers. They also criticized the anti-immigration government for favoring workers from Asia, whom these MPs deliberately described as Muslims, over Ukrainians, who are predominantly Christian and culturally closer to Slovaks.
