glasilo st. 2.indd - Ministrstvo za notranje zadeve

INTEGRATION MEASURES FOR REFUGEES
IN THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA
We can speak about the beginning of a systemic approach
to the refugee integration in Slovenia after the application
of the Regulation on Rights and Obligations of Refugees in
the Republic of Slovenia (Official Gazette RS no. 33/2004)
adopted on the basis of he Asylum Act (Official Gazette RS
no. 51/2006). The Regulation determined the assistance in
integrating into the social environment:
— Three year period of time of the entitlement to integration
assistance,
— Personal integration plan as the basis for implementing
the assistance to refugees,
— Possibility of learning Slovene language and receiving
information on the Slovene culture, history and constitutional
order,
— Covering the costs of nostrification and exams,
— Temporary financial aid,
— Financial compensation for private housing,
— Information on rights and obligations,
— Equation with Slovene citizens in terms of rights arising
from social welfare, education, training, employment
and work, as well as legal aid free of charge.
As regards the medical care of the refugees the Regulation
determined a specific health care system meaning that the
costs of medical services were paid for directly from the national
budget. The refugees were therefore not medical insurance
holders in the existing medical insurance system.
By virtue of the International Protection Act (Official gazette
RS no. 111/2007) the Regulation on Manners and
Conditions for ensuring the Rights of Persons under International
Protection (Official Gazette RS no. 67/2008) was
adopted defining the manners and conditions of ensuring
the rights of refugees and persons granted subsidiary protection,
namely:
— Right to information,
— Possibility of applying financial compensation for private
housing,
— Health care,
— Social welfare,
— Education, employment and work,
— Integration assistance for three years after the status
has been granted,
— Accommodation in the integration house for the period
of one year after the status has been
— granted
— As to medical care the Regulation brought about a
change in the system of health care for refugees. As of
1.1.2009 they are entitled to medical care under the
same terms as Slovene citizens meaning that they are
included in the medical insurance system. The resources
for basic medical insurance are covered by the ministry,
responsible for health whereas the Ministry of the Interior
covers the expenses for additional or supplemen-
16
tary medical insurance for those persons who have no
income or means of subsistence.
IMPLEMENTATION OF INTEGRATION MEASURES IN THE IN-
TEGRATION DIVISION
The entire integration process is based on an individual approach
to integrating persons under international protection.
An integration counsellor is designated for every person
after he or she has been granted the status and a personal
integration plan is elaborated which in turn serves as
the basis for implementing integration processes. The plan
contains the envisaged activities that help the individual
integrate in Slovene society. It is prepared according to the
person’s needs, knowledge, abilities and capabilities.
A particular attention is paid to vulnerable groups and persons
with special needs, above all children, unaccompanied
minors, handicapped persons, elderly people, pregnant
women, single parents with children and victims of rape,
torture and other forms of mental, physical and sexual
violence. They are offered particular care and attention in
line with the International Protection Act. For the purposes
of individual vulnerability assessment the Ministry established
a special commission.
Vulnerable categories may be accommodated in the integration
house after the expiry of one year, namely for the
duration of reasons for which they were identified as vulnerable
groups or persons with special needs.
If the accommodation in the integration house or another
accommodation facility of the Ministry is not suitable, the
Ministry – in cooperation with other competent authorities
– provides another adequate housing. SO far the Ministry,
based on the commission’s opinion, has mainly provided
accommodation in retirement homes and special neighbourhoods
for unaccompanied minors.
OPENING OF INTEGRATION HOUSES IN LJUBLJANA AND
MARIBOR
Since the beginning of implementing the integration measures
one of the main obstacles for a successful integration
was the provision of adequate and financially affordable
private housing particularly in the initial period after the
status was granted. One of the Ministry’s priorities was
therefore the establishment of integration houses in Slovenia
as a form of temporary accommodation for refugees.
Using its own means and the ERF resources the Ministry organised
two integration houses, namely in Ljubljana and
Maribor.
The house in Ljubljana has three units where 12 to 15 persons
can be accommodated whereas the one in Maribor is
located in a part of the building which used to be the reception
centre for former temporary protected persons and has
the capacity of up to 45 persons.
INTEGRATION ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE ERF
According to the annual programmes of the European
Refugee Fund 2008 to 2013 the Ministry will implement