A centre for assistance to refugees from Ukraine opened in Varna

A centre for assistance to refugees from Ukraine was opened in the Palace of Culture and Sports in Bulgaria’s coastal city of Varna. Those willing to help can bring water, food, sanitary materials, clothes, blankets. The centre made an appeal for help.

Volunteers have been helping since yesterday with the distribution of aid, which is constantly arriving at the centre.

It will help all of Varna in providing aid to Ukrainian refugees.

"We will try to concentrate absolutely everything that a person from Ukraine would like to receive. This is help related to accommodation, medical assistance, food," said Blagomir Kotsev, Varna's district governor.

In his words, the problem with providing legal assistance has already been solved.

"We have many volunteer lawyers who can get involved in this. There will always be someone here who will be available from morning to night, it will not be 24 hours, but the important thing is that now a decision has been taken at European level that anyone who enters our territory from Ukraine and registers as such will be granted temporary protection status," the governor added.

This status allows Ukrainians to use the educational and medical system, as well as other services that Bulgarian citizens have access to, he explained.

Varna's health centres are ready to receive people arriving from Ukraine, but prior booking of appointment in necessary.

"As you know, emergency medical care is free-of-charge in Bulgaria no matter what the status is. Having the status of temporary protection, they can benefit from specialized medical care," Kotsev explained.

Currently, the centre needs volunteers to process information as well as distribute the products received.

Innovation and Growth Minister Daniel Lorer, who was also at the centre, stressed that he expects a Russian refugee wave as well.