site.btaLabour Ministry's Budget Provides 442,000 Leva for Integration of Refugees

Labour Ministry's Budget
Provides 442,000 Leva for
Integration of Refugees


Sofia, January 17 (BTA) - The Head of the National Council for
Cooperation on Ethnic and Integration Issues with the Council of
 Ministers and Minister of Labour and Social Policy, Ivaylo
Kalfin, conferred here with the Office of the United Nations
Highs Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) representative in
Bulgaria, Roland-Francois Weil, the Labour and Social Policy
Ministry reported on Saturday.

Kalfin stressed that the social integration of refugees is among
 his Ministry's priorities, which is the reason over 400,000
leva are provided from its budget for Bulgarian language classes
 and various measures aimed at encouraging employment among
refugees. The Minister noted the importance of good cooperation
with NGOs, civic organizations and volunteers for the fund's
efficient utilization.

According to Kalfin, there is a need for urgent drafting and
adopting of a national action plan for the integration of
refugees in 2015. The document will soon be ready and will
improve the work for implementing the National Strategy on the
Integration of Persons Having Received International Protection
in Bulgaria, adopted by Cabinet last July.

Bulgaria uses the experience and good practices of other EU
Member States, such as France, Austria, Hungary and Denmark for
the strategy's development. The document provides measures, such
 as access to education and Bulgarian language classes,
employment, recognition of qualifications, health care, social
assistance, housing and public integration. SN/MY
 

/МЙ/