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Bulgaria outlines plan for integration of refugees: official

Xinhua, March 5, 2015 Adjust font size:

Bulgaria has outlined a plan for integration of individuals who have been granted asylum, in a bid to cope with the thousands of refugees who have recently entered the country, an official said Thursday.

The plan would be launched after the country has made sure the necessary resources are on hand, Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister Meglena Kuneva said at a forum dedicated to the integration of refugees.

Bulgarian language training for children and adults, health and social security, and full access to the labor market were some of the measures laid down in the plan, Kuneva said.

Creation of information-consultative centers with the help of municipalities, which enables refugees to register with employment offices; recognition of foreign diplomas and qualifications, and the building of a network of health and social mediators, were among the other measures, Kuneva said.

She said that as an outlying border of the European Union in close proximity to conflict zones with increased migratory pressure, Bulgaria had two tasks - to protect its borders and to make every effort to integrate individuals who have received international protection.

According to Kuneva, it was a matter of both safety and long-term economic benefits.

Since 2013 year, Bulgaria has been facing an unprecedented wave of refugees coming from Turkey. According to data from the State Agency for Refugees, 40,562 foreigners have sought asylum in Bulgaria since 1993, of whom 7,144 in 2013 and 11,081 in 2014, while in January this year the number was 1,070. Endit