IOM Bulgaria organised two information sessions for people fleeing the war in Ukraine who currently reside in the towns of Bansko and Blagoevgrad. The events took place on 7th and 8th of February and generated enormous interest among the Ukrainian refugee communities in the two towns, gathering a total of more than 200 people.

The information sessions started with a presentation from a legal expert on key topics of interest such as the Asylum and Refugee Law in Bulgaria, the rights and obligations of people with Temporary Protection in the country,  access to the labour market, labour legislation and types of work contracts, access to healthcare for refugees from Ukraine, the Road traffic act in Bulgaria. The participants were, furthermore, informed about the various state institutions that can provide information and assistance.

The attendees in both sessions actively participated and posed various questions and topics of discussion, drawing on their own experience, concerns and future plans. The audience was particularly diverse and included people from various social occupations, age groups and backgrounds.

The final part of the event was dedicated to informing the attendees about the IOM Bulgaria’s activities in response to the crisis in Ukraine such as one-time financial aid, food vouchers distribution to families with children, healthcare support and the free Bulgarian language training that IOM Bulgaria provides to persons fleeing the war in Ukraine.

After the information sessions IOM’s social workers proceeded with individual consultations, vulnerability assessment and distribution of financial aid in the form of prepaid cards to people meeting the IOM vulnerability criteria. Moreover, the IOM team had the chance to respond to the needs to individuals with various medical conditions and purchased and delivered medicines to them.

As many of the information sessions attendees were mothers with children the IOM team took the chance to distribute school supplies kits for the young ones.

These activities were realised with the support of The Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration of the U.S. Department of State, UK Aid Direct, funded by the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.