At a meeting on March 22, Bulgaria’s caretaker government extended to April 20 2023 the accommodation scheme for Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s war on their country.
The government information service said that the scheme was extended “under the currently valid conditions”.
The system was first put in place by the former Kiril Petkov government, a few weeks after Russia’s February 24 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
The system, which provides for state support for places of accommodation hosting Ukrainian refugees, has been extended several times, but in late 2022 the caretaker government appointed by President Roumen Radev in effect cut it back, by paying only for accommodation but not meals.
The March 22 statement by the government information service said that the period of validity of registration cards of foreigners who had been granted temporary protection by the State Agency for Refugees had been set as March 4 2024.
According to the dedicated government portal on Ukrainian refugees in Bulgaria, a total of 1 144 223 Ukrainians have entered Bulgaria since February 24 last year, while 49 730 remain in the country.
A total of 153 805 have been registered for temporary protection, while 8992 are accommodated through the state scheme, according to the portal.