MINSK, 3 December (BelTA) - The main wave of refugees from Ukraine has subsided, Alexei Begun, the head of the citizenship and migration department of the Interior Ministry of Belarus, told media during the regional seminar held on 3 December to discuss the asylum policy, BelTA has learned.
"The main wave of migrants from Ukraine has already subsided as the active phase of the military action in the region ended. But we continue to accept applications for refugee status from the Ukrainians," Alexei Begun said.
He noted that over the past two years about 150,000 citizens of Ukraine went through all kinds of migration procedures in Belarus. More than 45,000 Ukrainians got the status of permanent residents or temporary residents in Belarus.
The regional forum has gathered experts from Belgium, Germany, Latvia, Poland and Romania as well as representatives of the EU, the United Nations Office of the Higher Commissioner for Refugees and the competent bodies of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. The forum has been organized to study the best international practices in forced migration, enhance the quality of training and decision making on granting the refugee status, and improve the professional level of the personnel of the interior bodies in the issues of the national and international legislation.
In 2015 over 1,100 foreigners from 23 states sought asylum in Belarus. As of 1 December 2015 the refugee status was granted to 926 foreigners. An estimated 1,143 foreigners received additional protection.
