Right of asylum

Of the more than one million Ukrainian refugees who have arrived in Germany to escape the war, 44% would like to stay in the country long-term, according to a survey published on Wednesday and cited by Reuters.

There was a 39 percent increase in Ukrainian refugees who said they planned to stay in a previous survey released in late summer 2022.

The large number of refugees from Ukraine who fled the war with Russia contributed to the increase in Germany's population by 1.3% last year, bringing the number of citizens in the EU's most populous country to 84.4 million people, the Associated Press reported.

The National Palace of Culture (NDK), in Sofia will be lit in the colour blue on the evening of 20 June to mark World Refugee Day. The initiative is part of UNHCR's, the UN Refugee Agency, marking of the international day to honour people who have been forced to flee.

If tens of dead and hundreds of missing people off the Greek coast do not unite us even briefly, if we cannot hold a serious discussion on all the dimensions of mass migration, then we are in danger of losing all hope of agreement among ourselves.

Insecurity, poor infrastructure and isolation are taking a toll on the will to learn of youngsters at refugee camps, according to educators. 

Unwilling to cut ties with Russia, Serbia has nonetheless welcomed thousands of Ukrainian refugees. Few, however, feel very comfortable or plan to stay.

Refugees are being sought to fill job vacancies in the tourism and agriculture sectors, the head of the employment service of a leading NGO has said.

Speaking at a job fair in Thessaloniki organized to connect refugees and employers, sociologist Mary Asvesta of Solidarity Now said refugees often take on hard and difficult jobs.

An Afghan doctor who studied medicine in Türkiye has been awarded the "International Women of Courage Award" for her work with migrants.

Zakira Hekmat, the founder of the Afghan Refugees Solidarity Association, is a physician who has been working with migrants for 14 years.

A draft bill of the Migration Ministry is blocking the way for the smooth integration of unaccompanied refugee minors and second-generation immigrants who were born or went to school in Greece into local society.

According to the provision concerning the acquisition of a legal 10-year residence permit for such youngsters, most are excluded from the possibility of legal residence.

Employment is crucial for integration of refugees into society, but a debate hosted by a Slovenian charity on 2 February heard that Ukrainian refugees come across many obstacles as they try to find a job in the country even as companies struggle with staff shortages.