Foundation for Access to Rights raises concerns over amendments to the Law on Foreigners in Bulgaria

The Foundation for Access to Rights, jointly with other organisations, submitted an opinion to the Committee on Internal Security and Public Order at the National Assembly regarding the draft amendment to the Law on Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria.

The organisation raised concerns over the risk for beneficiaries of temporary protection to be excluded from the possibility to apply for the Single Residence and Work Permit. This is because the amendments do not provide for a transitional mechanism and require beneficiaries to first renounce their temporary protection status and then apply for another status. In this context, displaced Ukrainians would remain without a residence permit and a right to work, creating uncertainty for around 14,000 persons.

The organisations suggested providing an explicit transition procedure in law, enabling the affected third-country nationals to retain a right to reside and to work pending the outcome of a new application.