Forced migrants are increasingly seeking refuge in the Vitebsk region

The number of foreigners seeking refugee status in the Vitebsk region is increasing every year. This was announced today at a roundtable discussion of the new Belarusian Red Cross Society project "Restoring Family Links" by Olga Lazareva, chief specialist of the department for citizenship and migration of the Internal Affairs Directorate of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, reports a BELTA correspondent.

"Belarus began working with forced migrants in 1995, when the first law on refugees was adopted, regulating activities in this area. In total, during the period of legislation in the Vitebsk region, about 380 applications for protection have been considered. And if at the first stage, up to 2004, such appeals were isolated, then since 2006, the number of forced migrants seeking asylum in the Vitebsk region has begun to grow. Over the past three years, there has been a significant increase: 36 appeals in 2012, 58 in 2013, and 46 appeals have been registered as of June this year," said Olga Lazareva.

The Vitebsk region was a pioneer in working with forced migrants in terms of their accommodation and provision of normal living conditions. In May 2002, a temporary accommodation center for refugees was opened in the regional center. For a long time, this institution was the only one in Belarus (now such centers operate in Gomel and Brest). Over 12 years of operation, the center has hosted more than 330 foreigners from 31 countries (mainly Afghanistan and Iran). "The methods of the center are constantly being improved, and new forms for adaptation and subsequent integration of residents into Belarusian society are being developed. For example, if initially language lessons were held directly at the institution, now the training takes place at the Masherov State University, where a course for teaching foreigners the Russian language has been developed," emphasized Olga Lazareva, adding that language proficiency is the main criterion for integration into society.

Currently, 37 foreigners (mainly citizens of Afghanistan and Georgia) have been granted refugee status in the region, and 12 citizens of Syria have received subsidiary protection. Foreigners predominantly reside in Vitebsk, Novopolotsk, and Liozno. "Ten migrants have already obtained Belarusian citizenship, which indicates their full integration into our society," the chief specialist concluded.

Representatives of the Belarusian Red Cross Society, the Department of Internal Affairs of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, and the Polotsk Border Guard Detachment took part in the round table discussion.

Alena Tikhonova