Background information

The aim of the programme is to support enterprises and persons operating in categorised and registered accommodation facilities within the Tourism Act, entered in the National Tourist Register (NTR), as well as budgetary organisations and persons operating facilities entered in the Register of Accommodation Facilities and providing accommodation and feeding services to persons seeking temporary protection in the Republic of Bulgaria as a result of the hostilities in the Republic of Ukraine.

Content of measure

Displaced persons from Ukraine covered by the temporary protection in the Republic of Bulgaria under the Asylum and Refugee Act, including persons under 18 years of age, are entitled to receive humanitarian assistance for accommodation and food in accommodation places.

These accommodation places should be registered in the National Tourist Register or in the Register of Shelter Places established for the purpose of the implementation of the programme. The state aid is in the total amount of BGN 43.60 incl. VAT (at a VAT rate of 9%) per person per night and per meal (breakfast, lunch and dinner), including tourist tax and transport, where applicable. VAT costs are covered by the program.

According to the Ministry of Tourism, the Council of Ministers adopted Decision No 285 of 5 May 2022 on the approval of funds to applicants under the "Programme for the use of humanitarian assistance for persons seeking temporary protection in the Republic of Bulgaria as a result of the hostilities in Ukraine" (the Programme) and Decree No 71 of 5 May 2022 of the Council of Ministers on the approval of additional expenditures under the budget of the Ministry of Tourism for 2022 in the amount of BGN 4,900 million.

Use of measure

Up to 5 of April 2022, 39,646 people from Ukraine were accommodated in hotels.

In anticipation of the first payment of BGN 40 per person per day, owners of hotels are complaining that they can no longer cover their costs. The first BGN 6 million will be distributed to 130 hotels and the payment is due around 15 April, so there are still ten days to go. A BNT report yesterday revealed that hoteliers insist that the aid should be given in instalments - at least twice a month, but according to the chairman of the parliamentary committee on tourism Ilin Dimitrov this will make it difficult for the Ministry of Tourism.

A second payment has been made for the first stage of the Programme for the period from 24 February 2022 to 31 March 2022, verifying 109,375 additional nights for a total value of BGN 4,768,736.

As per 16 May 2022, 259,965 Ukrainians have entered Bulgaria, of which 103,469 remained in Bulgaria. Children are more than 39,143. 63,127 Ukrainians are accommodated, and 103,294 are registered for temporary protection, according to the official portal Bulgaria for Ukraine.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Companies providing essential services	Migrants or refugees

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government Company / Companies	National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Informed	Consulted
Form	Not applicable	Any other form of consultation, institutionalised (as stable working groups or committees) or informal

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• Only employers' organisations
• Main level of involvement: Sectoral or branch level

Involvement

The Minister of Tourism Mr. Hristo Prodanov organised a meeting with owners of hotels and employers in tourism on 5 of March 2022. Hoteliers in Bulgaria have already expressed their readiness to provide shelter and work to refugees from Ukraine. The Bulgarian Hotel and Restaurant Association (BHRA) has announced its readiness to help Ukrainians to find temporary shelter in Bulgaria.

Views and reactions

"Businesses supported the amount to be paid to each hotel that hosts a refugee, which is 40 leva per person per day. The measure is being worked out now and will be a crisis, temporary. It is a matter of one or two days before it is spelled out and uploaded on the website of the Ministry of Tourism. The measure will have a retroactive effect, those who have accommodated refugees so far will be paid," said the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Tourism Mr. Ilin Dimitrov.

Sectors and occupations

This case is not occupation-specific.

Sources

• 04 March 2022: Хотелиери ще могат да получат до 40 лв. за настанен бежанец от Украйна (www.investor.bg)
• 05 March 2022: Решението хотелиерите да получат до 40 лв. за приет бежанец от Украйна е в сила (www.investor.bg)
• 07 March 2022: Хотелиери получават държавна помощ само за украинци с бежански статут (www.investor.bg)
• 05 April 2022: Хотели самоволно спират украинците от социални помощи (segabg.com)
• 10 May 2022: MT paid an additional BGN 4.7 million under the "Program for the use of humanitarian aid for persons seeking temporary protection in the Republic of Bulgaria as a result of hostilities in Ukraine" (www.tourism.government.bg)
• 16 May 2022: Започна преместването на украински бежанци във ведомствени бази (bnr.bg)
• 29 September 2023: The government extends the term of the current Program for humanitarian assistance to displaced persons from Ukraine with temporary protection in the Republic of Bulgaria until December 31, 2023. (www.tourism.government.bg)
• 28 December 2023: The program for humanitarian aid to Ukrainian refugees is extended until April 30 (www.investor.bg)
• 31 July 2024: Удължава се Програмата за хуманитарно подпомагане на разселени лица от Украйна с предоставена временна закрила в Република България (www.gov.bg)