Slovakia slashes refugee housing aid amid political rift
The Slovak parliament has decided to reduce the duration for paying housing allowances to Ukrainian refugees from 120 to 60 days. The new regulations are pending the signature of President Peter Pellegrini and are scheduled to take effect in March next year.
The law was supported solely by members of the ruling coalition, as the opposition did not participate in the voting. Currently, the housing allowance for Ukrainian refugees is €5 per night (approximately CAD 7.40).
Opposition criticizes the ruling coalition's decision
The decision was met with criticism from the opposition. MP Zuzana Sztevulova described the new regulation as "inhumane." She calculated that shortening the allowance period would save the country only €2 million (approximately CAD 2.9 million), adding that "if Slovakia were more generous, it could be more proud of itself."
Michal Bartek, a member of the coalition party Voice (Hlas), defended the changes. He claimed that Slovakia was more generous in helping Ukrainians than other countries and "as a result, it strained its own citizens."
- If anyone wants to continue helping Ukrainians, they should go there - added the MP.
If President Peter Pellegrini signs the amendment, starting in March next year, Slovakia will fund the accommodation of Ukrainian refugees for 60 days instead of the current 120 days. The same restriction will apply to stays in refugee centres.
