ICMCEUROPE WelcometoEurope.pdf (5.89 MB)

Other Countries
Bulgaria
Bulgaria: starting in 2014
In 2010, Bulgaria established an
Intergovernmental Task Force on
Resettlement under the State Agency
for Refugees. 80 In 2011, it was communicated
that a policy framework
for resettlement would be developed
by the end of the year (2013). In June
2012, during the Stakeholder meeting
organised by the State Agency for
Refugees, the Bulgarian Red Cross
and UNHCR under the ‘Linking-In EU
Resettlement project’, the Bulgarian
government announced its commitment
to resettle 20 individuals in
2014. 81 The refugee profiles and countries
of origin will be defined in accordance
to the EU resettlement priorities
and benefit from ERF funding for
countries engaging in resettlement for
the first time (between €6.000 - 10.000
per person).
Bulgaria has received asylum seekers
from Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Syria and
Armenia. It is expected that the same
groups will be chosen for resettlement
so that the refugees can benefit from
80 Order No P-57/30.03.2010
81 The decision to launch the programme came too
late to qualify for the EC resettlement funding for
2013 as pledges were due by EU Member States by
May 1st, 2012.
273
the support from these communities
already present in the country.
Refugees from the former Soviet
Republic may be another possibility.
Under the envisaged programme for
2014, it is expected that resettled
refugees will be placed for 1-2
months in a central reception centre
and then would move on to private
accommodation.
Resettled refugees will be able to
access all standard services provided
to recognized refugees but will also
benefit from a longer integration and
support programme. For example,
recognized refugees generally receive
State-funded housing for 6 months
while resettled refugees would receive
it for 18 months.
Lack of available social housing and
municipalities engagement are mentioned
as being the biggest challenges.
Therefore, refugees often remain for
longer periods in the reception centres.
Bulgaria has a voluntary integration
programme in place which provides refugees
with Bulgarian language courses
and employment support from which
resettled refugees could benefit. 82
The services envisaged for resettled
refugees will be more generous than
those that are available for recognized
82 Report from the National Stakeholder Meeting on
Resettlement, Sofia, Bulgaria, 19 June 2012
CHAPTER VI
CHAPTER VII