Shortly after the start of the war in Ukraine in late February this year, more than 300 refugees from Ukraine, most of them women and children, found temporary shelter in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). Most of them came to the municipality of Citluk, to Medjugorje, where they were warmly welcomed by the local community which showed generosity from the first moment. It was not difficult for the citizens of Ukraine to enter BiH because, for them, a 30-day visa-free regime is in force.
Even though every new development in Ukraine creates uncertainty, the hope that they will return as soon as the situation stabilizes is in the head of each of these people who left a spouse, brother, father, and other family members in Ukraine. Therefore, they need a flexible and temporary solution that would guarantee their protection.
And it is for these reasons that more than 25 European countries have adopted the European Union (EU) Temporary Protection Directive, which offers Ukrainians the right to legal residence and access to services, as the usual asylum procedures that exist in most countries do not meet the needs of the influx of these refugees into European countries at the moment.
Unfortunately, the BiH authorities have not yet considered this solution for Ukrainian refugees. For some of these people in need of international protection, 30 days have passed in BiH and most of them have decided to continue their journey outside BiH in hopes of finding a state that can provide them with better legal protection and solutions. They are again exposed to numerous risks along the way.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Red Cross are coordinating efforts with other humanitarian organizations to provide assistance to refugees from Ukraine, however, the most important assistance these people need is responsible and appropriate decisions by the relevant institutions. The Temporary Protection Directive must be adopted as soon as possible, and it is also crucial to provide them with information on the opportunities they have as refugees in order to avoid unnecessary further displacement.
Although it was necessary to act from the first day when the Ukrainian refugees started arriving, there is still time to react, at least to protect the refugees who are still in the country.
BiH, with the help of domestic and international organizations, can offer adequate support and assistance to ensure that vulnerable refugees from Ukraine are not further exposed to a number of risks by embarking on new journeys seeking protection.
UNHCR, whose global mandate is to support governments in refugee protection, stands ready to advise and support BiH authorities on reception conditions, communication with the refugee population, protection activities, and durable solutions. Cooperation with key actors will ensure a better and timely response and provide refugees from Ukraine with the protection they deserve, the UN agency said.
E.Dz.
