New rules for Ukrainian refugees in Romania

The Romanian state will change, as of May 1st, the terms of granting financial aid to the Ukrainian refugees. In keeping with the new rules, the money will be given directly to the refugees and not to the families hosting them, as it was the case before. The Government explained that some property owners saw these funds as an attractive financial source, which reduced rental offers and increased rent on properties. As regards delays in the state’s transferring the money to owners who lent their properties to Ukrainian refugees in the first four months of the year, the Government has given assurances that the financial resources for this and for the new support programme are secured.

In keeping with the new rules, a Ukrainian refugee family will receive 400 euros per month for accommodation, while individual applicants will get 150 euro per month. Also, every Ukrainian refugee will receive 120 euros per month for food. The Bucharest Government has also announced that the aid will be granted unconditionally for one month alone. In the following three months, refugees will have to get a job and enroll their children in school or kindergarten. Starting with the 5th month, until the end of the year, the Romanian state will only pay for the housing of the people who got a job. In order to receive the aid, applicants must submit a request to the town hall. The local administration will then check if the applicant benefits temporary protection and meets the criteria regarding employment and the enrolling of children in the education system, if that’s the case.

According to official data, starting February 10, 2022, shortly before the Russian invasion of Ukraine and up to present, over 4 million Ukrainian citizens have entered Romania, of whom around 100,000 stayed in the country. As regards education, some 4,000 Ukrainian refugees who are students or preschoolers are enrolled as audients, while over 1,100 are enrolled in education units across the country. In terms of employment, almost 8,000 Ukrainians currently have so far got a job in Romania. Official figures show that last year the Romanian state paid from public funds 106 million euros for this programme, which means a daily expense of 350,000 euros.

We remind you that in April 2022 the European Commission announced that it paid the member states more than 3.5 billion euros as advance payment, to help them cope with the arrival of Ukrainian refugees on their territory. Romania received the third largest amount in this respect – 450 million euros. Payments have been made under the Cohesion’s Action for Refugees in Europe and the money can be used to offer food, accommodation, medical assistance, education and jobs to refugees from Ukraine, the Commission said at that time, in a communiqué. (Daniela Budu, Radio Romania International)