Bulgaria Foresees New Investments for Municipalities Hosting Refugees

Refugees at the accommodation centre in the Bulgarian town of Harmanli. Photo: BGNES

Bulgarian municipalities with refugee accommodation centers and those involved in integration programmes will receive significant subsidies.

This was announced by the chief secretary of the State Agency for Refugees (DAB) Zlatko Aleksandrov on Thursday, daily Standart reports.

Aleksandrov explained that the funding will be mainly allocated to infrastructure projects.

This was discussed at a meeting, which was held in Harmanl among representatives of state institutions, local government and regular citizens.

One of the investment projects foresees the construction of a new water treatment plant in Harmanli in 2015.

The State Agency also informed that full video surveillance will be provided.

On Thursday Harmanli mayor Hristo Liskov sent a letter to Bulgarian government representatives requesting that the refugee accommodation center in the city should be gated in order to prevent crime.

However Aleksandrov pointed out that this would be impossible as the conditions would be too harsh for refugees, especially for young children and mothers.

He also stated that the capacity of the Harmanli accommodation center, which currently hosts 1655 asylum seekers will be extended.

In addition, according to statement by the Chairman of the State Agency for Refugees Nikola Kazakov two new centres for accommodation of refugees will be built in southern Bulgaria.

Meanwhile, the debate concerning Bulgaria's capacity to accept more people with refugee statute is still ongoing.

 

 

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