The Slovak Republic declared a state of emergency on 26 February 2022 due to the mass influx of people fleeing the ongoing war in Ukraine. Slovakia's reaction has been a prompt and unprecedented one: support was offered almost immediately once the war broke out, at all levels of society. This included from the government and its institutions, from municipalities, from civil society actors and charities, from the business sector and from the general public. It includes legislation updates and information, the simplification of access to the country, the provision of basic supplies to ensure stability and meet basic needs, facilitated access to health and safety services as well as to the labour market, and immediate integration into the education system.
Temporary protection
Immediately after the war began, the Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic established Ukrainian-language hotlines for Ukrainians in need and set up hotspots to speed up the administrative process for new arrivals at the Slovak-Ukrainian border. Another important development was the quick amendment of existing asylum legislation: as a result Slovakia has been granting temporary protection to Ukrainian citizens and their relatives since 1 March. Those granted this temporary protection status are entitled to public healthcare provision, social protection including its benefits, and to access the labour market and education system. Due to the current situation in Ukraine, since 1 March the Border and Foreigner Police have only been processing applications from people arriving from Ukraine.
Accommodation and education
The Slovakian state will also support the accommodation of people with temporary protection status. The allowance for an accommodated child will be 105 EUR per month, and for an adult 210 EUR. This will be paid to private individuals who offer to host new arrivals in apartments, guesthouses, hotels or charity accommodation, via the municipalities on whose territory the accommodation is to be provided. The law on this will be adopted in the coming days, and will be applied retroactively from 1 March 2022.
As far as education is concerned, in order to promote integration of Ukrainian children within the Slovak educational system, the National Institute for Education established a series of supportive measures - such as webinars and educational support - for schools, teachers and staff that have already been or will be working with children that fled the war in Ukraine.
Support at the local level
At the municipal level, several platforms have been set up to help Ukraine and Ukrainians. Although most activities currently take place in the vicinity of the Slovak-Ukrainian border, local governments across the country are offering assistance in a range of areas, including financial, in-kind, accommodation and psychological support. For example, Ukrainian residents are able to access free of charge the services of doctors and pediatricians in the region of Bratislava. The same municipality also provides comprehensive information and services at the train station information point. These services include a waiting room only for people fleeing war in Ukraine, open 24/7, a children's corner, beds, mats and sleeping bags, food and water, and pet food and toiletries. In Eastern Slovakia, the self-governing region of Prešov established a contact point for Ukrainians and also coordinates offers of humanitarian support. Municipalities across Ukraine have also been providing transportation free of charge to those fleeing the war, as well as offering and managing accommodation for Ukrainian refugees. Finally, since 25 February, Železničná spoločnosť Slovensko - the national train carrier - has been offering free of charge transportation for all persons fleeing the ongoing war.
Support from civil society
Civil society, non-governmental organisations, international organisations and charities have been playing an irreplaceable role in welcoming and supporting Ukrainian refugees in Slovakia. NGOs have been offering information, guidance and professional support to citizens interested in offering support and to refugees themselves, organising wide collections of humanitarian aid items and donations, for instance via the #KtoPomôžeUkrajine campaign, as well as providing first-stage support at the Slovak-Ukrainian borders, train stations and all relevant entry points to the country.
Civil society is also sharing information for new arrivals on legal options, available supportive measures, accommodation facilities, transport options and psychological support. Organisations active in this area include the Human Rights League, the International Organization for Migration Slovakia, Mareena, People in Need Slovakia, Ukraine-Slovakia SOS, civic association Sme spolu, and many others. At the national level, the Centre for the Research of Ethnicity and Culture prepared comprehensive information for people providing assistance to people from Ukraine, as well as educational guidance for schools welcoming Ukrainian children. In terms of the wider public at the individual level, many people are volunteering their support. This is taking many different forms, including both official and unofficial collections of humanitarian items, financial donations, provision of accommodation to Ukrainians, offering free of charge transportation, and so on.
Even the business sector and private companies are providing humanitarian help, through the provision and collection of financial and material support, offering services, accommodation and transportation free of charge, and opening job vacancies to people from Ukraine that have been granted temporary protection.
Details
- Publication dates
- Geographic area
- Slovakia
- Source
- Posted by