Bulgaria awaits further arrivals from Ukraine fleeing Putin’s war
Four buses and cars from Bulgaria’s diplomatic mission in Kyiv are expected to arrive at Bulgaria’s border with Romania near the village of Durankulak on the night of March 1, the Foreign Ministry said.
There are about 200 people travelling in the convoy, including Bulgaria, Ukrainian, US, North Macedonian citizens and one from Georgia, as well as Bulgarian diplomatic staff, the ministry said.
Bulgarian National Radio reported on March 1 that close to 1500 Ukrainian citizens had passed through the Silistra-Calarasi border checkpoint since February 24, and the total number of people entering Bulgaria from Ukraine was close to 2000.
The report quoted Bulgarian Border Police as saying that the main flow of those arriving from Ukraine was to Turkey and Greece.
Border police have confirmed that the main flow of them travels to Turkey and Greece. So far, no protection had been requested and no refugee status applications had been submitted, the report said.
Since February 25, Bulgarian Red Cross volunteers have been at the border checkpoint, providing hot drinks and packaged snacks to the Ukrainians.
Food packages will also be given to those Bulgarian families who have accommodated refugees in their homes.
The Bulgarian Red Cross office in Silistra is continuing to collect packaged food products, clothes, blankets, bed linen and other items.
The first Ukrainian families fleeing the war have already arrived and settled in the town of Sandanski, reports on March 1 said.
As an expression of sympathy, dozens of people from the city, with larger homes, are using social networks to offer refugees free accommodation.
Sandanski municipality is ready to provide accommodation for about 150 migrants from Ukraine, becoming the latest of many municipalities that have made such offers.
For the rest of The Sofia Globe’s continuing coverage of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, please click here.
(Photo: Foreign Ministry)
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