site.btaBulgarian Justice Minister and UNHCR Representative Discuss Human Rights and Asylum Reform

During a meeting that took place here on Tuesday, Minister of Justice Georgi Georgiev and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Representative in Bulgaria Seda Kuzucu were unanimous that protecting the rights of asylum seekers and striving for border control also protect the rights of Bulgarian citizens to live in a safe and secure environment, Georgiev's Ministry reported. The agenda included the upcoming entry into force of the European Union Pact on Migration and Asylum in 2026 and the joint activities between the two institutions on key issues for the protection of human rights.

Enhanced cooperation on compliance with international human rights standards, including the rights of refugees, was noted as extremely important for Bulgaria.

The discussion covered data provided by the National Office for Legal Assistance at the Ministry of Justice on the significant increase in the number of legal aid cases granted to unaccompanied alien minors since 2020, when this legal possibility became regulated in the Asylum and Refugees Act. On average, legal aid was provided in over 3,000 cases per year between 2022 and 2023.

Georgiev shared his gratitude for the opportunity to cooperate and to have information exchanged between the administrative courts and the UNHCR for the proper implementation of the Asylum and Refugees Act. He raised the issue of the need to provide additional funding for training Bulgarian magistrates on the practices of the European Court of Human Rights and the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights.

The purpose of deepening cooperation is the effective protection of human rights, improving the legal framework and the application of the regulations and reducing the number of judgments against Bulgaria for non-compliance with these international standards.