|
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 |
|
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 |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Content of protection |
The amendments to the Law on Asylum and Refugees in Bulgaria added two new circumstances when international protection status ceases: when a beneficiary passes away or when a person refuses expressly to be recognised as a beneficiary of international protection. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Bulgaria |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
Staff training objectives for 2022 were postponed due to the influx of displaced persons from Ukraine. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
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 |
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 |
Legislative |
|
Special procedures to process asylum applications |
The court has to decide ex officio or at the request of the applicant on the right to stay during an appeal against the rejection of a subsequent application. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Bulgaria |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Detention during the asylum procedure |
Amendments to the Law on Foreigners introduced provisions for a swift judicial review of detention. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Bulgaria |
2020 |
Policy |
|
Content of protection |
The National Refugee Employment and Training Programme in Bulgaria was extended for 2020. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Bulgaria |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Access to information |
An amendment to the Law on Asylum and Refugees clarified the role of organisations which provide legal and social assistance. |
BG LEG 01 2019 |
|
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 |
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 |
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 |
|
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 |
|
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 |
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 |
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 |
|
Czech Republic |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Detention during the asylum procedure |
A new alternative to detention was approved, involving stays at a designated residence with regular checks. |
CZ LEG 01 2019 |
|
Czech Republic |
2022 |
Legislative |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The reasons for excluding from or ending international protection were expanded following a legislative amendment. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Czech Republic |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Legal assistance and representation |
The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs expanded its projects providing individual counselling for applicants. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Czech Republic |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Access to information |
Free legal advice must be available in each asylum facility. |
CZ LEG 01 2019 |
|
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 |