Тимчасовий захист: Болгарія

Accommodation can be chosen from the listings proposed on this platform. However, the authorities warn beneficiaries of temporary protection to be careful when contacting the hosts. The government adopted the Decision of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria, No 144 R.E. of 10 March 2022 to provide temporary protection in Bulgaria, which provides a number of facilities and forms of assistance to all people who left Ukraine as a result of hostilities. In the same session, the Council of Ministers also approved a program for the use of humanitarian aid for persons seeking temporary protection in the Republic of Bulgaria. Beneficiaries of temporary protection have the right to receive assistance for accommodation and meals in accommodation places registered in the National Tourist Register, in the total amount of BGN 40 without VAT per person per night and food, including tourist tax which is paid to the service provider. The aid will be provided for a period of up to 3 months. People who have expressed a desire to access the labour market have the same rights and this assistance will be provided for up to 1 month from the date of application. The period of validity of the program is expected to be from 24 February 2022 to 31 May 2022. On 30 March 2022, the Council of Ministers adopted a decision to amend the Program for the use of humanitarian aid to persons seeking temporary protection in Bulgaria. Thus, the aid can be used not only in registered accommodation places, entered in the National Tourist Register, but also in sites, entered in the register of places of accommodation created for the purposes of the program implementation. The term in which humanitarian aid will be provided to these persons without explicit registration for temporary protection was extended. The Council of Ministers adopted Decision no 245 and decree no 61 of 19 April 2022, which regulate the payment for the expenses incurred by the hotels participating in the Program. The Ministry of Tourism announced that the amount of BGN 11,075,446.40 will be paid, including 9% VAT, to 328 legal entities operating in 506 accommodation places within the meaning of the Tourism Act. The funds were approved and verified for the first reporting period, covering the period from 24 February to 31 March 2022. The deputy Prime Minister announced on 13 May 2022 Governmental measures to be implemented as of 31 May 2022 concerning private accommodation in hotels for displaced persons from Ukraine when the humanitarian program ends. The Deputy Prime Minister announced that the state program providing humanitarian aid to persons who were granted temporary protection continues after May 31 in state, municipal and departmental resorts. Relevant information on the process was provided here: Всичко което трябва да знаете за “31 май” | Bulgaria for Ukraine The deputy Prime Minister announced on 20 May 2022 that following multiple requests, the government decided to allow in addition to the departmental bases, but also the accommodation places registered in the National Tourist Register to participate in the new humanitarian program for accommodation of persons with temporary protection after 31 May 2022. The new program, developed by the operational coordination group, provides BGN 15 per day per person per night and three meals. The State Agency for Refugees under the Council of Ministers (SAR) monitored and coordinated the survey of Ukrainian citizens seeking protection in Bulgaria. Between 21-25 May 2022, SAR formed groups of interviewers in all hotels that received Ukrainian refugees on the Black Sea coast - the districts of Burgas, Varna and Dobrich. The survey for Ukrainian citizens had specific questions related to their health, opportunities and desire to start work, educational needs for children and more. There was a high number of hotels ready to accommodate displaced persons from Ukraine after 31 May 2022. More than 23,000 beds in accommodation registered with the National Tourist Register were included in the new humanitarian program for the accommodation of Ukrainian refugees. The new humanitarian program for accommodation started on 1 June 2022 and provided for two options – BGN 15 for a bed and food or BGN 10 for a bed only. The program did not cover additional services such as room cleaning and laundry. On 29 and 30 May 2022, the Bulgarian authorities informed about the decision to end the program of accommodating displaced Ukrainians, mainly in hotels situated along the Black Sea coast. The transfer program could be used only once, and transportation was provided. Approximately 300,000 displaced Ukrainian nationals arrived in Bulgaria since the war started in Ukraine and more than 110,000 persons have received temporary protection and accommodation from the state. Since the mediators and field teams deployed to collect information and assess needs for relocation could not gather relevant, reliable and timely information on the intentions of displaced Ukrainians to relocate under the humanitarian accommodation program, it was decided to end the accommodation plan. Consequently, those who were in hotels and in need of shelter were temporarily accommodated in buffer zones in the Sarafovo and Elhovo centers. Accommodation continued at the state holiday places, used usually by state employees for summer holidays. In 2022, these locations were cancelled for state employees in order to offer shelter for displaced persons from Ukraine. Those who refuse to be accommodated in the departmental holiday bases, had to declare it under the humanitarian program. Refusal of accommodation did not deprive beneficiaries of temporary protection of other rights and entitlements. The Ministry of Tourism announced on 5 October 2022 to have introduced an automated system to process data on humanitarian programs that were adopted to support accommodation of displaced persons from Ukraine. The aim was to have a more efficient system and reduce the time for processing and verification of documents. On 17 October 2022, the Government approved a new payment of over BGN 8.4 million for hotels that accommodate displaced Ukrainian nationals. The payment covered the period between 1 June to 31 August 2022 for additional verified candidates for funding under the Program. The Acting Minister of Internal Affairs announced in a briefing of the Council of Ministers held on 31 October 2022, that the humanitarian program and assistance in the accommodation of displaced persons from Ukraine will continue. On 1 November 2022, the Governmental platform for Ukraine made available detailed information on the program. By judgement of 20 December 2022, a five judges panel of the Supreme Administrative Court allowed a cassation appeal against decision no 181 of the Council of Ministers submitted on discrimination grounds between beneficiaries of temporary protection. On 28 June 2023, the Council of Ministers decided to extend the humanitarian program and accommodation in hotels for beneficiaries of temporary protection until 30 September 2023. The hotels will receive a subsidy of BGN 15 per day per person. The extension was adopted by Presidential Decree No 317 of 2023. The facilities are categorised or registered accommodation places which are in the National Tourist Register, after the persons seeking temporary protection have passed through buffer centres. The Ministry of Tourism also informed about the conditions of the humanitarian program and its extension until the end of 2023. By Council of Ministers Decision No. 297 of 26 April 2024, the duration of the Humanitarian Aid Program for Displaced Persons from Ukraine with temporary protection granted in the Republic of Bulgaria was extended until 31 July 2024, under the same conditions. The authorities published information on the conditions and procedures for accommodation under the Humanitarian Assistance Program for Displaced Persons from Ukraine with Temporary Protection in the Republic of Bulgaria (the Program), adopted by Decision No. 317 of the Council of Ministers in 2022. Assistance under the Program is provided to individuals holding a valid registration card for foreigners with temporary protection, issued by the State Agency for Refugees. Individuals are accommodated at the Transit Reception Center in the town of Elhovo, where they submit an application to the Vulnerability Assessment and Accommodation Needs Determination Working Group for Ukrainian citizens with temporary protection, which work under the National Operational Headquarters at the Council of Ministers. The Working Group makes a decision within 7 working days based on the information gathered from the application. The decision of the Working Group regarding the accommodation of the individual with temporary protection is provided to the concerned applicants within a 3-day period. The decision specifies the location allocated to applicants for accommodation under this program. The location can be state facilities, hotels, or other accommodations within Bulgaria. On 29 April 2025, the Council of Ministers adopted a Program for humanitarian support and integration of displaced persons from Ukraine, beneficiaries of temporary protection in Bulgaria. The program aims to ensure conditions for long-term integration of beneficiaries of temporary protection – through access to employment, education and social support. Persons from vulnerable groups will continue to receive humanitarian support for accommodation for the entire period of temporary protection. The integration process will involve state authorities based on their area of ​​competence or expertise, with an obligation for their administrations to inform and consult temporary protection beneficiaries on the possibilities of being supported with integration measures.