site.btaParliament Amends Asylum and Refugees Act

Parliament Amends Asylum and Refugees  Act

Sofia, October 2 (BTA) - Parliament Friday amended conclusively the Asylum and Refugees Act with the purpose of transposing the EU rules. It introduces the term "international protection" which includes refugee status and humanitarian status.

The amendments say that the protection that Bulgaria grants to foreigners shall include asylum, international protection and temporary protection. Temporary protection shall be granted in the event of mass influx of foreigners who have been forced to leave their country of origin by an armed conflict, civil war, foreign aggression, violation of the human rights or large-scale violence in their own country or a contained region in it, and who are therefore unable to return there. The government will grant temporary protection based on a decision by the Council of the European Union. Its duration will be determined by the same decision.

The amendments also say that a foreign national applying for protection, will have the right to access to the labour market, if his or her protection-award procedure continues more than three months from the application for such status due to circumstances beyond his or her control. MPs of the Patriotic Front and Ataka voiced objections to this right.

Foreigners who have been granted asylum or international protection will be offered to sign an integration agreement setting out their rights and obligations, as well as those of the respective state or municipal bodies.

When a foreigner's application for protection status is reviewed, the State Agency for National Security will be asked to provide a written position.