Lower house supports strengthening of humanitarian aid to Syrian refugees

The lower house on Thursday passed a resolution supporting the strengthening of Czech humanitarian aid to Syrian refugees, who are now living in camps in Jordan and Turkey. At the same time, the deputies rejected the idea of binding EU quotas for the acceptance of refugees and came out against the restriction of movement in the Schengen zone. Instead, the lower house came out in support of a joint EU effort to better protect the alliance’s outer borders. In January the cabinet accepted a proposal for the country to take in 15 families of Christian Syrians, who are now living in exile and approved a programme to help refugees directly in the affected areas.