Every human being on the planet, regardless of their ethnicity, sex, religion, gender, or political views is entitled to basic human rights. One of IOM’s pivotal principles is that all human rights and fundamental freedoms are universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated. In protection of those principles IOM Bulgaria continues the execution of its project “Legal Counselling and Interpretation Services to Asylum-Seekers in Bulgaria” 

The guiding principles in the implementation of the project will be respect for the rights of migrants, ensuring they are properly informed at all stages of their respective administrative and legal procedures and ensuring their assistance in the collection of the necessary documents to support their case. 

The main objective of the project is alleviating and facilitating the application process for international protection by providing legal consultations and interpretation services to TCNs.  

The specific objectives of the project are:  

• Providing legal advice, interpretation and awareness-raising services regarding the rights and responsibilities of TCNs; and  

• Supporting the effective communication of the target group with Bulgarian institutions, incl. by providing written and oral translation and interpretation when interacting with SAR interviewers, judicial and administrative authorities, social services, etc.    

Our team at the IOM Bulgaria office in RRC Harmanly provides legal support to TCNs on a daily basis. For the past year, the legal advisers of IOM at the centre have provided 354 legal consultations. Among the beneficiaries 261 were men, 77 women and 16 children. 339 of the consultations were on legal matters, while 15 on family reunion. Furthermore, there were 92 Assisted voluntary return and reintegration (AVRR) consultations. 

All project activities will be implemented in strict compliance with the principle of humane treatment, observing the rights and respecting the dignity of the beneficiaries.