|
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 |
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 |
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 |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
A coordination mechanism was approved to facilitate communication among the authorities and organisations working with unaccompanied and separated children. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
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 |
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 |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The State Agency for Refugees reviewed internal guidelines and rules and prepared an analysis of national jurisprudence for internal use. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Bulgaria |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The Law on Asylum and Refugees was amended in a comprehensive manner to bring national legislation more in line with the recast Asylum Procedures Directive. For example, the law allows for gathering expert opinions on a larger range of issues. It provides guidance on gathering and using information for the assessment of a case. |
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 |
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 |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
The Dublin procedure |
Some processes related to decisions on Dublin cases were clarified, with the aim to have a more efficient and timely procedure. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Bulgaria |
2019 |
Policy |
|
The Dublin procedure |
A new software was piloted to store files of applicants who are subject to incoming Dublin requests from other states. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Bulgaria |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
For the purposes of family reunification of beneficiaries of international protection, it is clearly stated now that family ties must precede the foreigner's entry into the country. |
BG LEG 01 2019 |
|
Bulgaria |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Statelessness in the context of asylum |
Amendments to the Law on Foreigners introduced new grounds for refusing to grant stateless status. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Bulgaria |
2019 |
Institutional |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
A separate Social Adaptation Department was established in the Registration and Reception Centre in Harmanli. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Bulgaria |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
The Dublin procedure |
An amendment was pending approval by the Council of Ministers to modify the “Regulation on responsibilities and coordination of public authorities implementing action on the application of the Dublin III and Eurodac Regulations”. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
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 |
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 |
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 |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Content of protection |
The National Strategy on Migration was adopted for the period 2021-2025. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Czech Republic |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups |
The Department for Asylum and Migration Policy of the Ministry of Interior launched a pilot project using non-medical methods for age assessment. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Czech Republic |
2020 |
Policy |
|
Content of protection |
The Czech Ministry of Labour updated its guidelines and clarified that public employment services may provide special, employment-related language courses to beneficiaries of international protection to improve their employment chances. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Czech Republic |
2020 |
Policy |
|
Content of protection |
The 14 Regional Integration Centres in Czechia continued their work in 2020 and their funding was secured for 2021. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Czech Republic |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The Ministry of the Interior launched a mapping project on the situation of child trafficking and created ""Human Trafficking Indicators Cards"" to help professionals better identify possible victims of human trafficking. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Czech Republic |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Special procedures to process asylum applications |
12 new countries were added to the national list of safe countries of origin: Algeria, Australia, Canada, Ghana, Georgia (excluding Abkhazia and South Ossetia), India, Moldova (excluding Transnistria), Morocco, New Zealand, Senegal, Tunisia and Ukraine (excluding Doneck and Luhansk Districts). |
CZ LEG 02 2019 |