Many of the more than 60,000 refugees in Ukraine are not on the register of asylum seekers because they are still staying with us as tourists – he told 24.hu Lajos Győri-Dani, Executive Vice President of the Hungarian Maltese Charity Service.

In an interview, the executive vice president said the outbreak of the war did not hit the organization unexpectedly. They were prepared for the new situation days before the military invasion, but since the beginning of the fighting, the charity has been devoting all its resources and capabilities to dealing with the refugee crisis.

He added that it took three days for the system to emerge from the initial chaos, during which time fixed help points were established, the location and mode of operation of the accommodation provider and the administrative services were designated.

When everyone runs to the scene and wants to help right away, it’s a kind of chaotic state, as we almost get into each other. Then comes the point where the bodies to manage are able to see who is in the field, who can do what, what capabilities they have, what they can use – and allocate tasks.

Lajos Győr -Dani also reported that on the first day they agreed with the other aid organizations on which border post each charity would work at. In Beregsurány the Hungarian Maltese Charity Service helps, Barabás the Catholic Caritas, Lónya the Hungarian Red Cross, in Záhony the support of the Ecumenical Relief Organization, and in Tiszabec the Baptist Charity Service volunteers.

According to the vice president of the charity service, the way the country has moved is exemplary, but it is a natural process to intensively help the will decrease over time, there will be fewer volunteers, the amount of donations will decrease. What people can give to refugees is given in these moments.

He believes that this is the responsibility of an aid organization, who know exactly that in a few weeks the main task will not be to receive refugees, but to help them integrate here, into their daily lives.

Therefore, in addition to the tasks and accommodation insurance, long-term care has started to ensure that approximately 100,000 Ukrainian refugees remain in Hungary.

He added that the issues to be addressed include whether the health system has sufficient capacity to provide long-term care for refugees, what documents need to be provided to these people who are just getting their medication, where their children will go to school.

(Cover image: Lajos Győri-Dani, Executive Vice President of the Hungarian Maltese Charity Service, speaks at the logistics center of the Hungarian Maltese Charity Service, from where a truck carrying donations left for Ukraine on March 8, 2022. Photo: Tibor Illyés / MTI)