10-12-2021 09:44
The State Agency for Refugees with the Council of Ministers (SAR) held an online conference for introducing the project "Increasing the administrative capacity of the competent authorities in the field of asylum and migration", funded by the Norwegian Financial Mechanism under the Home Affairs Programme.
The event was attended by representatives of the Norwegian side – Norwegian Directorate of Immigration, the National Police Immigration Service in the Kingdom of Norway, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Interior and other Bulgarian state and non-government bodies.
The conference was opened by the project leader from SAR, Mr. Ivan Milanov, Director of the International Affairs Directorate, who presented the scope of project, as well as the partners and the national authorities working on it. Mr. Milanov also outlined the plan for the implementation of the activities. Mrs. Maya Petkova, Director of the International Projects Directorate at the Ministry of the Interior, Programme operator under Home Affairs Programme, welcomed the participants and stressed the importance of the project and the cooperation with the Norwegian authorities. Mr. Stephan Mo, Head of Department in the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration, emphasized that the cooperation established under the project will contribute to the exchange of professional knowledge and experience.
Project "Increasing the administrative capacity of the competent authorities in the field of asylum and migration" is aimed at strengthening the national capabilities in the field of asylum and migration. The project includes a number of measures for improvement the administrative capacity of the State Agency for Refugees for the effective fulfilment of its obligations and shall contribute to enhance the specific knowledge and skills related to reception, accommodation, proceedings for granting international protection, and social and cultural adaptation, including individual assessment of the needs of applicants for international protection. The project focuses on unaccompanied children and other vulnerable groups of third-country nationals.
The project is implemented in partnership with the Bulgarian Border Police, Migration Directorate and the Norwegian National Police Immigration Service
The total value of the project is BGN 2 813 306,84 and the implementation period is 36 months until August 2023.
