site.btaSwitzerland Supports Bulgaria’s Migration Policies with Over CHF 21 Million

Deputy Prime Minister and Innovation Minister Tomislav Donchev and Swiss State Secretariat for Migration International Affairs Director Hendrick Krauskopf signed the Framework Agreement for the Implementation of the Second Swiss Contribution to Selected EU Member States in support of measures in the field of migration, the Innovation Ministry said here on Tuesday.

“As an external border of the European Union, we bear the serious responsibility, on the one hand, not to allow the entry of persons who may pose a threat to security, and on the other hand, to be able to provide assistance to those in need,” said Donchev.

Krauskopf said that the project implemented in Bulgaria aims to strengthen the joint mechanism for applying migration policies that take human needs into account.

The event was also attended by Swiss Ambassador to Bulgaria Pierre Hagmann, who pointed out that the signing of the agreement marks a new page in the strong partnership between the two countries. Hagmann added that it is intended to complement already existing measures and is based on shared values, with a focus on the most vulnerable groups, particularly children.

With financial assistance amounting to CHF 21,350,000, the following measures will be implemented by the end of 2029:

• Cultural mediation and support for asylum seekers in Bulgaria
• Strengthening the national child protection system and the specialized approach to protecting the rights of refugee and migrant children in Bulgaria
• Digitalization of international protection procedures
• Establishment of a Reception Unit for unaccompanied refugee and migrant children, providing medical, psychological, legal, and educational services
• Improvement of accommodation and living conditions in the Safe Zones for unaccompanied children in Bulgaria.

The individual components under the Agreement will be implemented by the State Agency for Refugees, the International Organization for Migration's Mission in Bulgaria, and UNICEF Bulgaria, in partnership with the Bulgarian Red Cross.