UNHCR: Bulgaria's Asylum Conditions Improved

This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Melissa Fleming at the press briefing, on 15 April 2014, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

The quoted text may be attributed to Fleming.

UNHCR has today updated our guidance on the situation for refugees and asylum-seekers in Bulgaria. UNHCR is lifting the call for the temporary suspension of all Dublin transfers of asylum-seekers to Bulgaria that we made in January this year. However, UNHCR notes that serious gaps in the system still remain, and that there may be reasons not to transfer certain groups or individuals, in particular those with specific needs or vulnerabilities. We encourage states to conduct individual assessments in these cases.

We note the significant efforts by the Bulgarian authorities and their partners to improve living conditions for asylum-seekers and the asylum system over the past three months. Conditions in the centres have improved, particularly in the Harmanli centre a former military base located 50 kilometres from the Turkish border where asylum-seekers were living in tents just four months ago. Today asylum-seekers living in the centres receive daily hot meals, are accommodated in renovated buildings or accommodation in the process of being renovated, with heating, and have access to health care. In addition, with more staff, all asylum-seekers have been registered and progress is being made on asylum decisions.

UNHCR remains concerned about the accommodation and sanitary conditions in two centres in Vrazdebhna and Voenna Rampa both centres are located inside Sofia city. UNHCR is also concerned about the lack of identification, referral and support to individuals with specific needs; the barriers children face...