We tell you which countries have changed the rules for staying and providing assistance to Ukrainian refugees since the summer, what now Ukrainians fleeing the war to Poland, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Switzerland can count.
Poland
According to the Polish edition polsatnews.pl. Since the beginning of the war, more than 1.2 million Ukrainians have applied for the status of temporary protection with the right to payments and benefits, that is, for a PESEL number with the status of “ukr” since the beginning of the war. The rest of those who arrived for status and state assistance did not submit applications. Of the total number of registered more than 500 thousand Ukrainians of working age, half of them have already got a job.
From the first days of accepting refugees, Poland has stated that the goal of the program is to help Ukrainians in their attempts to integrate into society, find work, continue learning, etc.
To shelter Ukrainians, the “40+” program was launched – the Poles who received Ukrainians at home and fed them or placed them in hotels, at recreation centers with food, the state paid 40 zlotys per person per day. For a family of three, a Pole could receive 3,600 zlotys a month, about 24,000 hryvnias. In June, the Polish government announced that the program would be limited to 120 days from the date of the border crossing. The same rules for those who arrive in Poland in July were explained by Pavel Schefernaker, Deputy Interior Minister of Poland and Government Commissioner for Refugees, rp.pl reported. An exception was made for large families, people with disabilities, pensioners, pregnant women, citizens caring for babies – the payment period for them will be extended by another 120 days.
For those refugees who have exhausted their 120 days of stay in Poland and could not find a job, cannot rent housing, the authorities promise to settle in places of “general accommodation” and municipal premises, specifying that these are not refugee camps.
Ukrainians continue to receive all payments, namely, 300 zlotys at a time, 500 zlotys for children under 18 every month, provide assistance to low-income families, free medical care, enroll in schools.
At the same time, in many places or points with the distribution of humanitarian aid and food were closed, and the Polish railway company PKP Intercity announced the cancellation of free travel for refugees from Ukraine in all directions from July 1.
Czech Republic
According to the Czech Radio Ukraine, the President of the Czech Republic signed a law on changing the support program for Ukrainian refugees, which will be published and come into force in the coming days. The changes relate to payments and medical care.
What will change in accordance with the new document?
Now, all newcomers who have received a temporary assistance visa are entitled to an unconditional payment of 500 kroons (6,300 hryvnias). This amount can be received for another five months every month, for this you need to confirm the difficult financial situation, lack of work and property in the country. Under the new conditions, if refugees are provided with free housing, daily multiple meals and hygiene products, they are deprived of the right to this payment.
Such measures are designed against abuse by migrants who come to the country for financial assistance. Therefore, everything has been done so that those who actually live in the Czech Republic receive payments, and not those who come for help.
Previously, the state undertook to pay Ukrainians for medical insurance during the year, according to the new provision – up to 150 days. During this time, the refugee can find a job, and the employer can pay for health insurance. The state will continue to pay insurance premiums only for children under 18, pensioners and people with disabilities.
On the other hand, the maximum period for processing an application for a temporary protection visa will be extended to 60 days.
Bulgaria
Until June 1, Bulgaria settled Ukrainian refugees in hotels on the Black Sea coast, 40 levs or 637 hryvnias per day were allocated for their accommodation and food. From June 1, the amount of compensation was reduced to 15 leva or 238 hryvnia.
With the start of the tourist season, Ukrainians were asked to vacate hotel rooms, more than 250 accommodation facilities agreed to accept Ukrainians from June on a lower fee. A list of all the hotels that have applied for this new program has been published, most of which are in seaside resort locations. The new program runs until August 31, the goal of the program is to ensure the full integration of refugees within the next 3 months.
Switzerland
The deadlines for the departure of Ukrainians from Sweden to Ukraine have been changed. The regulation on trips to the homeland was adopted at the eighth meeting of the headquarters of the special shelter. The Swiss State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) announced that the protection status of Ukrainian citizens who fled the war could be revoked if Ukrainians stay in Ukraine for more than 15 days in a quarter, the SchengenVisaInfo.com website reported.
That is , all persons with protection status S are allowed to enter Ukraine and return to Switzerland for a period not exceeding 15 days per quarter. However, this provision does not apply to persons who can prove that they had important reasons for staying for a longer period, such as visiting a close family member who is seriously ill.
If the refugees stay in a third country for more than two months, the protection status may be canceled, since the State Secretariat for Migration considers that in this case it can be considered that the refugees have resettled in that country. “If a person has already been granted protection status in another Schengen state, he will also not be granted protection status S in Switzerland,” the statement clarifies.
Netherlands and Belgium
As noted by the Dutch Nu.nl edition, the country records cases when families hosting Ukrainian refugees ask them to move out for the summer, because they do not want to leave them alone in their homes during the summer holidays. Therefore, the municipalities have begun to prepare for the influx of Ukrainian refugees, who are expected to come from host families. A similar situation is observed in Belgium, notes Euobserver.
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