The European Commission approved this week 22 new multiannual national programmes under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund and the Internal Security Fund for the period 2014-2020. The distribution of these funds shows that a shockingly small amount was allotted to Bulgaria, which is officially declared the poorest EU country. It turns out that a refugee in Bulgaria “costs” 53 times less than a refugee in Estonia. Bulgaria gets a total of EUR 10,006,777, bearing in mind that 4,320 refugees are officially registered and another 2,048 are seeking asylum. Estonia, where only 81 refugees were registered and 44 are seeking asylum, will receive EUR 150,000 more than Bulgaria. Lithuania, where 951 refugees were registered and 60 are waiting to be registered, will also receive financing similar to the one provided to Bulgaria. Therefore, there is no clear correlation between the money needed for refugee support, the financial capacity of the countries that accommodate refugees and the money granted by the European Union. The big and wealthiest European countries are to receive biggest amounts of EU financing. However, the number of refugees is highest there. The Czech Republic, however, is to receive 2.5 times more money than Bulgaria, bearing in mind that the number of refugees who entered this county is much lower and the living standard in this EU member state is much higher. So far, the Bulgarian media react cautiously to this news. However, it is perhaps Bulgaria’s own fault for the extremely low amount of EU financing granted for refugees. According to some information sources, the country itself demanded only EUR 5-6 million for refugee support. This version seems very likely against the backdrop of controversial information spread by the administration itself. The former Ministry of Interior, which was part of the Oresharski cabinet, claimed that the monthly support of every refugee in Bulgaria amounted to EUR 540. According to the State Agency for the Refugees, however, the amount was significantly lower-around EUR 200 per month. Regardless of the reasons for the shockingly low financing granted by the EU in support of the refugees, the funds which were already distributed for the new programming period will remain unchanged. The current Bulgarian cabinet has to look for a way out of this awkward situation, because the refuge pressure over this country is expected to last long, or at least until 2020.
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