Ministry of Social Policy discusses protection of rights with Bulgaria and support programs for people displaced from Ukraine

The Minister of Social Policy of Ukraine Maryna Lazebna met with the Minister of Labor and Social Policy of the Republic of Bulgaria Georgi Gyokov.

At the meeting, Maryna Lazebna thanked for the humanitarian aid and support provided to Ukrainians fleeing hostilities to the territories of Bulgaria.

The Minister informed about the consequences of russian aggression for civilian

population of Ukraine, the scale of the humanitarian catastrophe, recorded violations of international law. The parties discussed the priority needs of people affected by the war.

Georgi Gyokov assured of Bulgaria's solidarity with the Ukrainian people. He informed about the policy of the Bulgarian Government regarding the displaced from Ukraine, assured that they are guaranteed all the rights and opportunities provided by international law in the framework of temporary protection and refugee status.

The Minister of Bulgaria also said that the Bulgarian government had approved an interagency plan to coordinate assistance to Ukrainian citizens, in a bid to clearly regulate activities in the areas of: registration, protection of children's rights, employment, social services and other issues. Psychological, legal and social services are also provided. Assistance to Ukrainians is financed from the State Budget of Bulgaria.

There are now about 55,000 Ukrainians in Bulgaria who fled their homes from their war-thorn regions. The vast majority are women, children and the elderly.

The Bulgarian side also assured at the meeting that it would soon consider a draft bilateral Memorandum of Cooperation on the protection of the rights of children displaced from Ukraine. The Memorandum will address the following issues:

• protection of the rights and needs of children from vulnerable categories who have been relocated to Bulgaria,

• the procedure for keeping records of such children

• guarantees for the return of Ukrainian children home after the situation in Ukraine improves,

• prevention of adoption of Ukrainian children without the consent of Ukraine and application of national legislation on adoption.