Constant influx of Ukrainian citizens, almost 10 thousand found refuge in Montenegro

Shortage and rising prices of food, energy, inflation and refugees... War in Ukraine. Almost 10 thousand Ukrainians found refuge in Montenegro.

"From February 24 to today, 51.967 people from Ukraine entered the territory of Montenegro, and 42.186 of them left during the same time period. 5.848 requests were submitted to our directorate for the integration of foreigners with approved international protection, of which 3.837 were resolved. Therefore, those persons received the status of temporary protection. The statistics themselves show that we have a large and constant influx of Ukrainian citizens," said Radovan Popović from the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The increase in refugees is also noticed by the Red Cross of Montenegro.

"On August 01.08, the number of people who contacted the Red Cross was 1.821 people. It is important to note that these are people who are refugees from Ukraine and who approached with different questions and needs, and these needs were initially different from the needs that they they have today. We also have teams on the ground, through municipal organizations, teams that are trained to help that target group and we monitor the situation every day. We report this to our partners and with them we find ways to help these people," points out Tanja Đurović from the Red Cross. Montenegro.

And aid does not only mean basic humanitarian support, the Red Cross and the Ministry of the Interior agree, but also medical care, the right to employment and education.

"Medical care is always in the foreground because a large number of chronic patients also came, older people, mostly women and elderly people came to Montenegro, so these are some things that had to be solved as soon as possible," says Đurović.

"Taking into account the fact that the beginning of the school year is approaching, we have intensified our activities with the Ministry of Education in order to enable these persons to access their right to education, because according to the Law they have the right to free primary and secondary education. Persons who have been granted temporary protection can to work on the territory of Montenegro and do not have the obligation to bring a certificate of employment registration. So, just like Montenegrin citizens, the labor market is absolutely available to them," says Popović.

According to UNHCR data, over six million refugees from Ukraine have been registered for temporary protection or similar national protection programs in Europe, and that this trend will continue and that there will be a new influx of refugees into our country is predicted by the Ministry of Interior, but also by Red Cross.