13-08-2012
There are 2453 officially recognized refugees from 47 countries of the world residing on the territory of Ukraine. Only for six months of 2012, 828 foreigners applied to State Migration Service with application on their recognition as refugees or persons in need of protection. During the last year, from the moment Law of Ukraine “About refugees and persons who need subsidiary or temporary protection” came into force, for the first time 37 foreigners were recognized as such in need of subsidiary protection.
In the frames of international project “Regional programme on protection of refugees – Phase-II” European Union has allotted € 1,5 million for aid to Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus. Out of them € 0,5 million was given to solve problems with refugees in Ukraine. Financing of the programme will last till December 2013.
Programme foresees financing of nationwide network of lawyers, who will follow up how are the rights of refugees and asylum seekers are kept, the reconstruction of THFs, the work of translators is ensured, language courses for asylum seekers and support of programme on migrants’ employment. Besides, it is assistance in certification of diplomas and grants (up to 25 000 UAH) for their starting own business in Ukraine.
At the support of UHNCR, on August 9, 2012 a meeting of National Managing Committee of the project in Ukraine was hold in Lviv at the participation of UNHCR specialists, Representation of European Union in Ukraine, International Organization of Migration (IOM) as well as representatives of State Migration Service of Ukraine, Highest Administrative Court, SSU, Commissioner on issues of realization of national preventing mechanism. The representatives of public human rights organizations from different regions of Ukraine participated in the meeting.
Coordination of actions of governmental and public structures working with refugees and asylum seekers in Ukraine became the main subject of discussion.
According to the words of Carol Shusha, manager of sector on law supremacy and law exercise of Representation of EU in Ukraine, European Union invests sufficient costs into integration programmes. However, these investments are too little. The important readiness of the governments of the countries is to accept these investments. European experts point out a progress in apprehension of importance of integration processes by Ukrainian authoritative institutions, but they also admit the existence of the problems left and need to be solved.
Source: http://www.ihrpex.org/uk/article/3579/z_pochatku_roku_v_ukrajiny_poprosyly_prytulku_828_bizhentsiv