Minister Milkov received UN Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees Kelly Clements
24 April 2023 News
Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikolay Milkov received the United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Kelly Clements. In the course of the meeting, the sides discussed issues related to the refugee crisis caused by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the support Bulgaria is providing, our country's commitments in relation to the upcoming Global Refugee Forum in December, as well as other topical issues on the international agenda.
In the context of the 30th anniversary of UNHCR's presence in Bulgaria, Minister Milkov expressed gratitude to the organization for the fruitful cooperation and said that Bulgaria will continue to work with the UN and other international organizations to address migration challenges and protect the rights of refugees.
Minister Milkov pointed out that the Bulgarian government has taken a number of measures to address the challenges related to Ukrainian refugees. He pointed out that those with temporary protection in the country have access to the labour market, guaranteed access to medical care like Bulgarian citizens, receive accommodation, social benefits as well as the opportunity for education.
Since the beginning of the hostilities in Ukraine, a total of 155,739 persons have registered for temporary protection in Bulgaria, with the highest number of women — over 77,000. By the end of March 2023, Bulgaria had granted one-off benefits to over 87,000 Ukrainian citizens with temporary protection status.
During the talks, our Minister of Foreign Affairs and the UN Deputy High Commissioner also discussed forced displacement in the Middle East and North Africa, as well as security issues and human trafficking. Our first diplomat said that Bulgaria remains steadfast in its determination to fight this crime.
For her part, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees Kelly Clements thanked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and all the institutions in the country dealing with refugee issues. She praised our efforts in caring for asylum seekers and in controlling the EU external border.
More photos
