Media learned about the approval of the amendment excluding dual citizenship with Russia in the Czech Republic

Deputies of the lower house of the Czech parliament have adopted an amendment that prohibits Russian citizens from obtaining a second citizenship in the country in parallel. This was reported by the Ceske Noviny news agency on December 18.

"According to the amendment, the authorities could grant Czech citizenship to applicants from Russia only if they renounced Russian citizenship and proved it," the material said.

Russian citizens who want to get Czech citizenship, will have to officially renounce Russian citizenship beforehand. According to deputies, this amendment will help to reduce the influence of Russia on the Czech Republic.

It is specified that 99 members of Parliament out of 177 voted for the adoption of the law. In this case, for the amendment to enter into force, it must pass through the upper house.

In addition, for those citizens who already have Czech and Russian citizenship, this amendment will not apply.

Earlier, on November 25, it was reported that from the beginning of next year, Russians who claim Czech citizenship, will first have to renounce Russian citizenship.

Before that, on November 2, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told Izvestia that the 66 Czech citizens who were allowed by President Petr Pavel to join the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) were apparently no longer needed by the country.

In July, Zakharova called the Czech Republic's refusal to recognize Russian passports without a biometric chip an unfriendly move. She noted that the decision was aimed at worsening relations between the two countries.

In the same month, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said that the Czech Republic would no longer allow entry to Russians who do not have biometric passports.