site.bta27 Ukrainians in Bulgaria Have Applied for Social Services, 3,229 Started Work since War in Ukraine Started

Since the start of the war in Ukraine until end-July, 2023, 29 applications for the use of social services have been submitted by 27 Ukrainian citizens with temporary protection status, Social and Labour Minister Ivanka Shalapatova said during Monday's parliamentary control. She was asked about the support Ukrainians receive in Bulgaria.

According to the Social Assistance Act, 88,928 displaced persons from Ukraine who have been granted temporary protection have been assisted with one-off assistance, which is provided once a year. BGN 17,716,471 have been paid as of June 2023. 70 Ukrainian citizens have been assisted under the Disability and Personal Assistance Act.

Between September 29, 2022 and July 31, 2023, a project was implemented to provide vouchers for food and basic necessities to those displaced from Ukraine. Some 35,566 Ukrainians have sought this type of support, Shalapatova noted. Vouchers worth BGN 100 have been distributed under the Operational Programme Food for the purchase of food and other essential products.

Regarding employment, the minister said that Ukrainian citizens have also acquired the right to register in labour offices in Bulgaria. Shalapatova pointed out that this also helps to solve the problem of the shortage of personnel on the labour market here.

Between March 1, 2022, and July 31, 2023, a total of 5,784 Ukrainian citizens, including 5,207 persons benefiting from the status of temporary protection, were registered with the labour offices, the minister informed. She added that as of July 31, 2023, 98 Ukrainians were actively registered at the labor office. Shalapatova also said that the Solidarity procedure is currently being implemented by the Employment Agency under the Human Resources Development Operational Programme (2014-2020). According to the Agency, by August 4, 2023, some 3,229 displaced persons from Ukraine had started work.

In response to another question from an MP on working conditions and noise pollution in shopping centres, Shalapatova urged citizens to report suspected violations of health and safety at work. More than 4,200 reports of labour law violations have been received so far in 2023. Around 100 were related to noise in the workplace, she said.