VIENNA, 9 June (BelTA) – Belarus has done a lot of work to enable proper living standards for Ukrainian refugees. Belarusian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Oleg Kravchenko made the statement during the OSCE-CEI high-level panel discussion in Vienna on 9 June, BelTA has learned. The panel discussion Beyond the Emergency: Improving the International Response to Large Movements of People has been arranged under the aegis of Belarus' presidency in the CEI and Austria's presidency in the OSCE.
Oleg Kravchenko said: “Our government has taken substantial measures with a view to ensuring proper living standards for dozens of thousands of Ukrainian citizens, who had fled the country as a result of the conflict in Ukraine's east.”
Among other things the Ukrainian citizens pay no permanent residence fee, no fees for medical services, and no fees for free education in secondary schools and vocational school. They can get education services on the terms Belarusian citizens enjoy. The Ukrainian citizens also receive benefits for families with kids, disability benefits, and other welfare benefits.
Oleg Kravchenko stated: “When negotiations on adopting the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration began, Belarus became the first Eastern Europe country to arrange national consultations about the document. The consultations took place in Minsk in mid-May.”
The OSCE-CEI high-level panel discussion on migration was initiated by Belarus' Permanent Delegation to the OSCE with support of Austria's Permanent Mission to the OSCE, and the OSCE Secretariat. Ambassador of Belarus to Austria, Belarus' Permanent Representative to the OSCE Alena Kupchyna took part in the discussion. She had been nominated for the office of the OSCE secretary general.
