As Bulgaria helps Ukrainians

Video of the Day "This is the fresh air that we gave them during the hotel program, besides providing the best quality care in Europe, also helped their integration," said Kalina Konstantinova Vice Prime Minister at the time during the hearing in parliament at the beginning June. Then the decision to finish the program caused some indignation among refugees and part of Bulgarians.

The Embassy of Ukraine in Bulgaria "Voice of America" ​​explained that this program continues even after May 31-persons with temporary protection can live in state, municipal and departmental bases. Ukrainians also have access to free medicine, children to education, forced displaced persons pay one -time assistance and other social payments.

On the basis of the EU Directive on Provisional Protection of Ukrainian Citizens of Ukraine, the Council of Ministers of Bulgaria has decided "on providing temporary protection to persons displaced as a result of war in Ukraine", which came into force on March 14, told at the Embassy.

The written answers to the request of Voice of America emphasized that after registration, Ukrainians automatically acquire a number of rights in the country: “The right to stay in Bulgaria, the right to work and vocational training, to appropriate housing or accommodation, social assistance, medical assistance in emergency cases, free return to the country of origin. " The help of help can be found on the government website in Ukrainian.

Bulgaria is one of the EU countries where Russian propaganda and pro -Russian views are widespread. According to a survey of MOGOV, in April, 44% of Bulgarians believed that NATO is responsible for the war in Ukraine, which is the largest indicator among 16 European countries and the United Kingdom, where the survey was conducted. Only 23% of Bulgarians believed that Russia was responsible for the war against Ukraine, compared to 85% of Finns and 80% of Swedes.

At the same time, 65% of Bulgarians approve of sending humanitarian aid to Ukraine, and 49% support the entry of Ukrainians to Bulgaria, according to the survey. Sociologist Ognyan Minechv says, despite certain pro -Russian sentiment in the country, which is divided by less than a third of the population, Bulgarian society has responded actively to the needs of Ukrainian refugees. “I think that most Bulgarians have actually been understood and supported by refugees from Ukraine in Bulgaria.

At least for the reason that most of these refugees are women with children. It is impossible to be a normal person and hostile to women and children, ”Minschev, who heads the Institute of Regional and International Studies in Sofia. At the beginning of the invasion, which caused a massive departure of Ukrainian women with children from the country, in Bulgaria, it was the non -governmental organizations who began to place forced persons, says Bulgarian political scientist Christ Panchugov.

“Initial efforts to accommodate Ukrainian refugees were mostly organized by non -governmental organizations, individual efforts. This was largely coordinated by the sector of non -governmental organizations in Bulgaria, and I think they did much better than the Bulgarian institutions, especially in the first months of the crisis, ”says Christ Panchugov, Associate Professor of the Department of Political Science of the New Bulgarian University.

One of those who ended up in the center of this process is Sasha Bezuhanova, founder and chairman of the MOVE. BG civic platform. Before that, Bezuhanova worked at Hewlett-Packard, where she was in the company's office in Bulgaria, in addition to other positions. “I have held management positions in the digital industry for 20 years. We think as businessmen - and how you can optimize this process.

My friends, Max and Elina, on the third day after the declaration of war, launched a platform for safe and effective coordination of volunteers' efforts. Other friends have developed a platform. And within the first three weeks, the efforts of two thousand volunteers coordinated through this platform, ”Bezuhanova said.

Also, together with their partners, they immediately founded the Fund to help Ukrainians in Bulgaria and raised more than half a million dollars during the first fund raising campaign. “This fund was created with the help of the Foundation because they have extensive experience in maintaining charity. We have a rule that is going to a week to decide how to use these private money best.

We held an official competition for organizations that have already worked with Ukrainians in Bulgaria, and have selected 18 organizations, ”Bezuhanova said. Both ordinary Bulgarians and businesses give help - money and things - directly to Ukrainian organizations. One of them-the Union of Ukrainian Organizations in Bulgaria "Mother-Ukraine"-until 2014 was engaged in the development of cultural relations between the two peoples.

"We erected a monument to Shevchenko, made memorable boards to prominent Ukrainians who lived in Bulgaria, and contributed to the development of Bulgaria. Then they made Ukrainian cinema days, Ukrainian art days, various exhibitions, photo exhibitions, art - Petrikov painting, we had, Ukrainian embroideries, towels, and so on, - says Olena Kotseva, "Voice of America".

- When the war began in 2014, we immediately opened the account for funds, but for eight years we did not have as financial as after a full -scale invasion. " Kotseva says many who come to Bulgaria in recent months - from the occupied regions of Ukraine and need everything. “From the middle of June and all July people come from Mariupol, from Melitopol, from Berdyansk. People who go out of occupation and who go extremely difficult and long.

They leave either through Russia or through Crimea, and from there they have a route to Georgia, from Georgia to Turkey and Turkey to Bulgaria. It's too long way. And they come with a minimum of things with themselves. " She said that earlier she believed that up to 80% of Bulgarians adhered to pro -Russian views, but how they responded to the needs of Ukrainian refugees, she was amazed.

“Such a flow of gifts went to us, so much transferred money, wrote" Glory of the Armed Forces "," Glory to the Heroes of Ukraine "on the basis for transfer. Or "Russian ship went . . . " - we even have transfers. From 5 lions it is 2. 5 euros - to 10 thousand euros are transferred individuals, ”she says. According to her, the organization has sent more than 50 tons of humanitarian aid to Ukraine, most of the cargo - the gift of Bulgarians.

Sociologist Minechv says that not only public opinion in Bulgaria has influenced the help of refugees from Ukraine, but also vice versa. According to him, up to half a million Ukrainians could pass through the country, who, when communicating with ordinary Bulgarians, changed their attitude to war, Russia and Ukraine. Yevgeny Sergeyev is one of the volunteers of the organization that recently joined in the center. Before the war she lived in Bucha.

She tells that the man persuaded her to go on a business trip to Budapest on February 20. They planned to call her mother from Khmelnytskyi to Bucha to look at their five -year -old daughter. At the last moment they changed their minds and left three. He says they lived in Budapest for two months, where they actively joined volunteer activity with the beginning of the invasion, but it was difficult to stay there through the language barrier and pro -Russian sentiment in the country.

They moved to Bulgaria because they had friends there, where they also joined volunteering. “Our center is only on benefactors, on people who donate, on people who bring help. Any people are not necessarily wealthy people. Grandma Bulgarian, who is the last of themselves, come from their hearts, because they want to help. It's very nice, ”Sergeyeva says. However, they say in the organization, while the war is going on for the seventh month, the help is decreasing.

“Unfortunately, the last month has slept the stream of gifts, much and much decreased. There are days that there are no transfers at all, or 3-4 days come 150-200 euros, ”Kotseva says. At the same time, there are no bureaucratic obstacles in Bulgaria for employment of Ukrainians. According to the UNCC, 77% of Ukrainian refugees abroad have technical or university education.

Ukrainians work in Bulgaria not only in the service sector, but even at the local film Studio "Nude Boyana", which belongs to the Hollywood company and participated in the production of more than 400 Hollywood films. The film studio employed 25 Ukrainians. "Some people who worked in the film industry quickly advanced and got directly to the set, while others we had to bring here, give them housing, provide food, and then slowly integrate into the workflow," the director said "Voice of America".

Film Studio Lerner. For example, 12 Ukrainians joined the last Disney project "Young Woman and the Sea", where they worked with decorators, wardrobe/costume assistants, and an art department. The studio spent more than $ 100,000 on accommodation, food, transportation and administrative services to help Ukrainian refugees, said Kalin Kotas Film Studio Film Studio Financial Studio.

The Embassy of Ukraine in Bulgaria said that according to the middle of June, 5,600 employed citizens of Ukraine were known, but in fact this figure is much higher, because it does not take into account those who work under civil legal agreements or are on a probationary period.

"Workers are distributed to almost all areas of the country, in 20 sectors of the economy in 9 different professional fields (from hotels and restaurants, administrative and auxiliary activities to construction and professional activities and research activities and IT)," the Embassy of Ukraine in Bulgaria reported . In general, the country, says Minechv, is the work of Ukrainians in favor of the Bulgarian economy.

“The overall picture of the Bulgarian Labor Market is gloomy, since in the last three decades the country has emigrated from 2 to 2. 5 million Bulgarians. For the most part, young people, enterprising people. There is a painful labor shortage in the Bulgarian market. And in some sectors of the economy, Ukrainian refugees are welcome - for example, in tourism, in certain units of administration, in the field of services and so on, ”he says.

Bezuhanova, who holds regular meetings with Ukrainians in his office in Sofia, says that she is amazed at their professional skills and character. “Of course, it will be a great advantage if these people decide to stay in Bulgaria for a longer period of time. Of course, I sincerely wish them to return and support the Ukrainian rebuilding and the economy, because it will be very needed. But by that time, of course, Ukrainian refugees, Ukrainian friends can join the Bulgarian economy.

It is a very powerful and qualified group of people as well as people with character. I see women who know who they are and what they want. It is very impressive. " Bulgarian employers, public organizations and the state contribute to the involvement of Ukrainian women in the labor market. For example, they organize vacancies. "The American Chamber of Commerce contacted us, the American Embassy said," Hi, we would like to take part in this initiative, "and we started holding vacancies fairs.

So, it began with a spark in the film industry, but then it became larger and larger, and other industries also joined, ”Lerner said. The film studio has organized classes in the study of English, working language of the institution, helps with the search for kindergartens. The Little Steps Kindergarten Director in Sofia Alben Dalkalatcheva told the Voice of America, which she was actively looking for how to help Ukrainian mothers. “I drove money, diapers to refugee centers.

But then I thought, well, I really look after the kids, and I am sure that many of these refugees are really children, because men remain in Ukraine, mothers with children go here. " At first, they took a Ukrainian son, who works at a film studio, and then placed ads on Facebook, inviting other families from Ukraine. “More than 30 children have come. And, of course, there was no place in our garden for this, but, thank God, we just rent a neighboring house to expand the garden.

Ukrainian moms came and removed everything in one day, and the next day we have already opened a group, ”Dalkalatcheva said. Bezuhanova says, language classes - English and Bulgarian - as well as help with child care - a popular direction of charity in Bulgaria. “I see the trend of our charitable activity, where one of the priorities is to help with the language. Some organizations also organize premises and infrastructure, daytime centers so that children are in care and moms can work.

” Also, on June 6, the employment bureau launched a program that provides a little help with employed Ukrainians to help pay for the rent to those who take away their homes. Separately, told at the embassy, ​​the state encourages employers to take Ukrainians to work and plans to pay for such employers a minimum wage and an insurance policy for every employed Ukrainian.

“The EU provides funds as part of the Solidarity Project, funded by the operating program“ Human Resources Development for 2014-2020 ”. In the Embassy of Ukraine in Bulgaria, the help of the Bulgarian side is positively evaluated. "The Republic of Bulgaria has provided and continues to support and assist temporarily displaced Ukrainians who are forced to leave their home country, escaping from Russian aggression. " Since the beginning of a full -scale Russian invasion, 8.

8 million Ukrainian citizens have left the country, almost 3. 3 million have returned. According to the UNCCC, 65% of Ukrainians who are abroad are currently planning to stay there, another 9% are to move to another country in Europe. And while the war is ongoing in Ukraine, Ukrainians invest their work and talent and develop the potential of the countries that gave them a forced asylum. The text is published with the author's permission.