On 11 August 2025 in a symbolic ceremony, IOM Bulgaria took over management of the Safe Zone at the Harmanli Reception and Registration Centre from the State Agency for Refugees (SAR). Established in 2024 with the support of UNICEF Bulgaria and the Swiss State Secretariat for Migration, the facility has assisted more than 1,100 unaccompanied minors and will continue under IOM’s management as a model for child-friendly care in Bulgaria.
The event also marked the launch of IOM Bulgaria’s new AMIF-funded project “Provision of Support to Asylum Seekers in Bulgaria” (2025–2029), which will strengthen the reception system and focus on vulnerable groups through social, legal, medical and psychological support, access to services, interpretation, distribution of essentials, and educational and recreational activities.