Bulgaria arranges buses to fetch nationals, people of Bessarabian origin from Ukraine

Bulgaria’s Foreign Ministry and Defence Ministry have arranged regular bus lines to fetch Bulgarian citizens and Ukrainians of Bessarabian origin, a statement on March 5 said.

Buses will depart on March 6, at noon from the Isaccea checkpoint at the Ukrainian-Romanian border, and at 3pm from the Giurgiulești checkpoint at the Ukrainian-Moldovan border, the statement said.

The destination is Bulgaria’s Black Sea city of Varna.

In other news in Bulgaria related to Putin’s war on Ukraine:

Since February 24, close to 25 000 Ukrainian citizens have crossed into Bulgaria via border checkpoints with Romania, Bulgaria’s Border Police said on March 5.

Seventy-three submitted applications at the border for humanitarian protection.

Citizens of Ukraine have the right to visa-free entry into Bulgaria and a 90-day stay in Bulgaria within a six-month period. This term may be extended for humanitarian reasons, according to Bulgaria’s Foreigners Act.

Bulgaria’s Defence Ministry said that as of March 4, a total of 71 Ukrainian refugees had been accommodated at its facilities.

Fifty-two are being accommodated at a Defence Ministry hotel in the Saints Constantine and Elena resort at the Black Sea.

Nineteen are being accommodated at a hotel at the Naval Club Varna.

Rousse municipality has provided a laptop and telephone at the Danube Bridge to enable refugees to contact those still in Ukraine.

The municipality said that brochures were being prepared to direct people to hospitals, administrative buildings, shops and other places.

It said that the multitude of support groups set up on social networks, and individual initiatives by the public and NGOs, made the flow of reliable information about available accommodation difficult.

The municipality asked those offering accommodation to refugees from Ukraine to call 082 881 769 or 082 881 702.

The Ukrainian embassy has announced details of a bank account to assist the country.

Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Bulgaria

Boryana str.29, Sofia, 1000

(SWIFT) BIC: IABGBGSF

Account № (IBAN): BG81 IABG 7432 1100 4781 02

Beneficiary bank: INTERNATIONAL ASSET BANK

Todor Aleksandrov 81-83, Sofia, 1000

Reason for payment: Helping Ukraine

Details of the bank account for donations to the Bulgarian Red Cross’s fundraising campaign for humanitarian aid for Ukraine may be found at this link.

(Archive photo: John Nyberg/sxc.hu)

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