On 30 January, the Special Representative of the Secretary General on Migration and Refugees (SRSG), Leyla Kayacik, presented to the Committee of Ministers a report of her fact-finding mission to Bulgaria, which took place from 11 to 14 September 2023.
In the report, the SRSG examines the human rights situation of the people fleeing Ukraine and of migrants and refugees, arriving to Bulgaria's southern borders due to the situation in the Middle East and Afghanistan. While noting Bulgaria's readiness to strengthen the effectiveness of its border control and asylum system, the report highlights the challenges it faces in ensuring effective access to international protection for those who wish to remain in the country, as well as adequate care for those in vulnerable situations.
Particular attention is paid to the protection of unaccompanied foreign children, the improvement of reception conditions for all asylum seekers, the continued fight against migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings with a victim-centred approach and the development of alternatives to immigration detention.
The SRSG also takes note of the efforts made by Bulgaria to receive, assist and protect people displaced from Ukraine as a result of the ongoing aggression by the Russian Federation. The report outlines the main challenges and makes recommendations on the possible ways of support and cooperation with a view to better integrating people who have found refuge in Bulgaria, in line with the Action Plan on Protecting Vulnerable Persons in the Context of Migration and Asylum in Europe (2021-2025).
In this context, the report makes the following recommendations:
- Continue the training of lawyers and other legal professionals on the procedures for granting international protection and on the fundamental rights of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees, in co-operation with the HELP programme and on the basis of its modules, in particular those on alternatives to the detention of migrants, asylum and the protection of the human rights of refugee and migrant children.
- Support the relevant authorities, institutions and stakeholders in the protection of unaccompanied and separated migrant, asylum-seeking and refugee children, in particular during border procedures on the basis of the recent joint guidance note of the Council of Europe and EU Fundamental Rights Agency on “Children in migration – fundamental rights at European borders”.
- Provide such support in particular through the effective implementation of Recommendation CM/Rec(2019)11 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on effective guardianship for unaccompanied and separated children in the context of migration.
- Support the authorities in the implementation of Recommendation CM/Rec(2022)22 on human rights principles and guidelines on age assessment in the context of migration.
- Carry out these support actions in full cooperation with other interested international organisations, in particular with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
