I realize that this is a very touchy subject, but I decided that many people (especially those reading from abroad) might be curious as to what the situation is like in the Czech Republic in the midst of such a huge period of upheaval. This being said, I do not claim to be an expert or definitive source on the subject, but I have spoken to many people of many ages and walks of life, being a teacher, and I thought I would share a little, general information about the tidbits I pick up.
The Czech Republic has one of the lowest rates of granted asylum in the European Union, and is greatly considered to be one of the less friendly countries to find yourself in as a refugee. There is little government support, almost no infrastructure, and the population generally adopts a cold stance towards these Islamic outsiders. There has been controversy with human rights groups and some media outlets who cite extended periods of detention in the Czech Republic as refugees attempt to head toward a more welcoming Germany. These stints of detention may often be unexplained, unnecessarily extended, or result in deportation back out of the EU without honoring refugee status. The perceived difference in culture is widely cited as the reason that the refugees "just wouldn't work here" and that "it would be different if it were a Ukrainian or someone of similar culture".
By no means does everyone share the disposition above, but as a general rule it rings true. I teach many adults, and a lot of them will express dissatisfaction with any mention of refugee aide. In fact, Angela Merkel is now seen in a very unfavorable light by many as a result of her legislation and staunch support of granting asylum and establishing asylum quotas for each country (something that is currently a very debated topic in the EU). I also teach a lot of children and, sadly, they reflect and echo their parents' anti-refugee sentiments. One 12-year-old asked me, "What refugees?", to which I answered, "I think they are good. People need help. Do you agree?" He responded, "No, not refugee. Syria and Muslim no is good. Isis." It is true that most of the tension resides with harboring Syrian refugees, as that is the most blaring example of aide needed currently.
Well, that is enough. I do not want this to be a lecture or opinionated column, simply a sharing of the general disposition of the country with those who may be interested. It is important to remember that the Czech Republic is by no means the bad guy here, as the U.S. has also more or less banned Syrian refugees from being granted asylum in many of its states.
For more information check out this BBC article detailing various aspects of the current situation.
Also, here is a video from TED.com that I found interesting and relevant. Brings up some interesting ideas and might be worth a watch:
https://www.ted.com/talks/alexander_betts_our_refugee_system_is_failing_here_s_how_we_can_fix_it
https://www.ted.com/talks/alexander_betts_our_refugee_system_is_failing_here_s_how_we_can_fix_it
