|
Bulgaria |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Detention during the asylum procedure |
A draft law aims to amend the Law on Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria, including, for example, shorter time limits for appealing decisions on pre-removal detention. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Bulgaria |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Legal assistance and representation |
Following amendments, the Law on Asylum and Refugees clearly states that state authorities have an obligation to ensure asylym applicants' access to legal aid. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Bulgaria |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Statelessness in the context of asylum |
An amendment to the Law on Foreigners was adopted which introduced new grounds for refusing to grant stateless status. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Bulgaria |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Return of former applicants |
The Law on Foreigners was amended to provide clarification on the return procedure. For example, the country to which a return is to be executed must be indicated in the return decision. Automatic suspensive effect was introduced for an appeal which is filed against an expulsion order issued on the grounds of serious threat to public order. In addition, if it is established by a judicial act that a foreigner subject to a removal order cannot be returned to a country due to a risk to the person's life and liberty or persecution, torture, inhuman or degrading treatment, an order must be issued which explicitly states the prohibition of return and the state to which the foreigner should not be returned. This order is not subject to appeal. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Bulgaria |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The Law on Asylum and Refugees was amended to address shortcomings in the identification, legal representation and age assessment procedure for unaccompanied children. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Bulgaria |
2020 |
Policy |
|
Content of protection |
The National Refugee Employment and Training Programme in Bulgaria was extended for 2020. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Bulgaria |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Interpretation services |
Remote interpretation was used during registration and eligibility interviews in reception centres located outside of the capital, where interpreters are harder to find and employ. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Bulgaria |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Content of protection |
The National Strategy on Migration was adopted for the period 2021-2025. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Bulgaria |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Content of protection |
The Bulgarian Ministry of Labour and Social Policy extended its refugee employment and training programme for 2021-2022. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Bulgaria |
2022 |
Legislative |
|
The Dublin procedure |
The government adopted amendments to the ordinance regulating the coordination between the asylum and police (border and immigration) administrations when implementing the Dublin III Regulation. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Bulgaria |
2022 |
Legislative |
|
Access to procedure |
The government adopted amendments to the ordinance regulating coordination between the asylum and police (border and immigration) administrations when implementing the Dublin III Regulation. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Bulgaria |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The State Agency for Refugees updated its standard operating procedures for preventing and responding to sexual- or gender-based violence within the asylum procedure and the new procedures were implemented in cooperation with UNHCR and the State Agency for Child Protection |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Bulgaria |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The State Agency for Refugees established a pilot programme of self-care and well-being classes for women in the reception and registration centre Vrazhdebna in Sofia. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Bulgaria |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The Bulgarian State Agency for Refugees monitored throughout 2021 the implementation of amendments from 2020 related to the representation of unaccompanied minors in the asylum procedure. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Bulgaria |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
Safe zones for unaccompanied children needed to be restructured. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Bulgaria |
2020 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
The State Agency for Refugees in Bulgaria prepared the framework for distance learning for children accommodated in the agency's facilities. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Bulgaria |
2020 |
Policy |
|
Detention during the asylum procedure |
Bulgaria increased the capacity of two pre-removal facilities (Busmantsi and Lyubimets) from 700 to 1,060 persons. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Bulgaria |
2020 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The State Agency for Refugees started to apply EASO standards to identify vulnerable applicants, and it established two safe zones for unaccompanied children in the reception centre in Sofia, which are operated by the IOM. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Bulgaria |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups |
Weekly meetings were organised with unaccompanied minors who are subject to proceedings under the Dublin III Regulation. At these meetings, unaccompanied minors are regularly informed of the steps that have been taken regarding their Dublin procedure and of the expected outcome of this procedure. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Croatia |
2020 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
Croatia is developing and implementing a new IT application (RECORD) with AMIF funding that aims to improve the quality of collecting, managing, processing, monitoring and reporting data in the field of international protection. Funds for the implementation of the project proposal were approved on 23 November 2020. Iin April 2021, the technical specifications for the project were being drafted. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Croatia |
2020 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
Through a new AMIF co-financed project, Enlargement of reception capacities of the Reception Centre for International Protection Applicants in Zagreb, the procurement of accommodation containers is planned to increase accommodation capacity of the facility. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Croatia |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
An amendment of an ordinance clarified the rules on the absence of an applicant from the reception facility. |
HR LEG 03 2019 |
|
Croatia |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Resettlement and humanitarian admissions |
A new decision was issued on the resettlement of third country nationals and stateless persons. |
HR LEG 02 2019 |
|
Croatia |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups |
The new Foster Care Act entered into force, whereby unaccompanied minors can stay with a foster family. |
HR LEG 01 2019 |
|
Croatia |
2020 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
The national authorities concluded standard operating procedures on sexual and gender-based violence with UNHCR and national NGOs towards the end of 2020, aiming to start implementation as soon as possible. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |