MOGILEV, 2 February (BelTA) – Fewer refugees were seeking asylum in Belarus in 2016 as compared with 2014 and 2015, representative of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Belarus Jean-Yves Bouchardy told the media on 2 February, BelTA has learned.
“There has been no increase in the number of asylum applicants since the start of 2017. Nevertheless, we are concerned over the exacerbating military conflict in Ukraine, which is likely to spell a new flow of refugees to Belarus or the Russian Federation,” he said.
As of 1 January 2017, the refugee status was granted to 399 foreign nationals in Belarus; subsidiary protection was provided to 1,292 people. The majority of them are Ukrainians. Syrian nationals were the second biggest group and were followed by Iraqis. As of 1 January 2017, there were also 6,082 stateless persons in the country.
“The situation with refugees is stable in Belarus. Employment is the major issue that worries people. It is not a secret that for a part of these people work means their legal status in the country. Work is also the major source to make a living. Sometimes there is a need to pay for medicines and healthcare services, too,” Jean-Yves Bouchardy said.
Jean-Yves Bouchardy met with Ukrainian refugees living in Mogilev Oblast to discuss the issues related to employment, pension payment and housing improvement. The meeting was also used as an opportunity to express gratitude for support and help to this category of people in Belarus, including the assistance provided by the Belarusian Red Cross Society.
Chairman of the Mogilev Office of the Belarusian Red Cross Society Andrei Nikitin assured that the organization will continue providing support to the vulnerable groups of refugees via its voucher program that envisages monthly financial aid of about Br200 for every family. Humanitarian assistance will be provided by the Red Cross, as well. For instance, a lot of Ukrainian refugees from Lugansk Oblast and Donetsk Oblast have addressed the agency with requests for warm clothes and footwear this winter.
