The Government has a Crisis Headquarters with 6 working groups, which coordinates the work of all institutions.
Today, March 9, 2022, the Council of Ministers adopted a decision granting temporary protection to persons who left Ukraine as a result of hostilities.
From Friday, March 11, 2022, directly at the border checkpoints, citizens entering from Ukraine who want temporary protection will be able to obtain a document with which to legitimately reside on the territory of Bulgaria. Temporary protection is granted from February 24, 2022, for a period of one year and provides a number of facilities and forms of assistance – through it, they will be able to gain access to the labor market, education, health care, and social support.
The government also approved a program for the usage of humanitarian aid for people seeking temporary protection in Bulgaria as a result of hostilities in Ukraine.
It is envisaged that people who have received temporary protection in Bulgaria under the Asylum and Refugees Act will be entitled to assistance for accommodation and meals in accommodation places entered in the National Tourist Register in the total amount of BGN 40 excluding VAT per person per night and food, including tourist tax. The aid will be provided for a period of up to 3 months. The same rights will have the persons who have expressed a desire to access the labor market in the country, and this assistance will be provided for up to 1 month from the date of application. The period of the program is expected to be from February 24, 2022, to May 31, 2022.
The government portal is already active, which contains detailed legitimate and important information on all major issues related to the reception, rights, and support of Ukrainian refugees – https://ukraine.gov.bg/bg/. The portal is in four languages and has options in terms of legal aid, accommodation, free healthcare, job advertisements, useful tips, important contacts and addresses, a list of support for civil society organizations, and donation campaigns.
Amendments to the National Action Plan for Temporary Protection in force since 2011 have also been adopted and an annex to the decision with these changes is expected to be published soon.