Bulgaria is among the EU countries that are the fastest to mobilize to help Ukrainian refugees
Bulgaria is among the fastest EU countries to provide temporary protection to those fleeing the war in Ukraine. This was stated in an interview with BTA Takeshi Moriama, Senior Crisis Coordinator of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Nearly 300,000 people have entered the site since the conflict began in late February, and a third of them have remained and received temporary protection. This means that all Ukrainian refugees in the country can live, have access to the use of labor, enroll their children in school, have access to health services and receive assistance in Bulgaria, Moriyama said.
“Welcomes the government’s enduring commitment to accepting Ukrainian refugees and providing vital assistance while waiting for security and peace at home,” Moriyama said.
The following is the full text of the e-mail interview.
1. One hundred million people forced to flee their homes is a grim record. How did we get here?
One hundred million people is a staggering number and a record that should not be set.
This is the number of people around the world forced to flee conflict, violence, human rights abuses and persecution. It reached 100 million people for the first time in history, increased war in Ukraine and other deadly conflicts.
By the end of 2021, the number of IDPs worldwide had risen to 90 million, driven by violence or ongoing conflicts, including in Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Myanmar, Nigeria, Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Since then, 8 million people have been displaced within Ukraine, and more than 6 million have been registered as refugees from Ukraine.
More than 1 percent of the world’s population currently lives outside their homes. This includes refugees and asylum seekers, as well as 53.2 million people displaced within their countries due to conflict.
2. What could the international community do to address this negative trend?
One hundred million people must serve as a wake-up call to find a way out and prevent destructive conflicts, end persecution and eliminate the root causes that force innocent people to flee their homes.
We have witnessed an extremely positive reaction from the international community to the people fleeing the war in Ukraine. Compassion is alive and we need such mobilization for all the crises in the world. But in the end, humanitarian aid is palliative, not medicine.
In order to correct the trend of increasing violence and displacement, the answer is peace and stability, so that innocent people are not forced to choose between great danger at home or risky escape and exile.
All the signs tell us to cooperate, and we can also draw inspiration from the courage and resilience of displaced people and from the solidarity shown by ordinary citizens.
3. What is your mission in Bulgaria and how do you deal with our country in your efforts to help people fleeing wars?
Bulgaria has shown that it can mobilize to help refugees. It was inspiring to see the daily efforts of the Bulgarians who welcome and help in this extraordinary moment.
Bulgaria keeps its borders open to refugees from Ukraine. Nearly 300,000 people entered the site, and a third of them remained.
Welcomes the government’s enduring commitment to accepting Ukrainian refugees and providing vital assistance while waiting for security and peace at home.
Bulgaria is among the fastest EU countries to provide temporary protection. More than 100,000 Ukrainian refugees have received temporary protection. This means that all Ukrainian refugees in the country can live, have access to the labor system, enroll children in school, have access to health services and receive assistance in Bulgaria.
Together with our humanitarian partners, UNHCR also increases support for Bulgaria’s action – assisting in coordination, providing basic assistance to the most vulnerable and strengthening Bulgaria’s capacity to provide protection.
Under the UNHCR Global Refugee Coordination Model, it guides the UN and humanitarian agencies in supporting government response to the refugee wave.
For example, UNHCR, together with UNICEF, local authorities and partners such as the Bulgarian Red Cross, found four “blue dots”. These are safe places where basic services are provided, including legal counseling, psychological support, identification and monitoring of refugee children, women, families and other people and groups at particular increased risk of fleeing the conflict in Ukraine.
It is also important to help people who do not have a roof over their head and a safe place to spend the night.
We welcome Bulgaria’s efforts for a national council on the livelihood and economic integration of Ukrainian refugees. More than 4,000 Ukrainian refugees have already found work on the site. This allows them to provide for the needs of their families, to preserve their dignity, to become more sustainable and to be able to build their future.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is also responsible for these efforts. month we organized a labor fair, where more than 30 employers meet with Ukrainian refugees, offering jobs in these a number of sectors – from technology, trade and finance to production and services.
4. Tell us more about your previous mission in Afghanistan. What is the situation when the Taliban establish control over Kabul and other major cities following the withdrawal of the United States and its allies?
The people of Afghanistan have suffered from more than forty years of conflict in its recent history. By the time I arrived in Afghanistan in September 2020, heavy fighting broke out in various parts of Afghanistan, such as Lashkar Gah in Helmand province, forcing people to flee.
I also recall that in the last days of the withdrawal of the international force, many people were on their way to the airport; and the next day the guards were replaced by the Taliban. The decision to leave home is painful. The right to seek asylum must be guaranteed, no matter where people come from, through our concerted and conscientious efforts.