More than 1,000 Ukrainians will be evicted from free housing in Saxony (Germany). Earlier, it was announced in Ireland and the Czech Republic that the lease of housing for refugees at state expense was ending.
In 2022, residents of most European countries met refugees from Ukraine with understanding and compassion. EU countries provided asylum seekers with free housing and social benefits. In two years, some of our compatriots managed to partially integrate and find work. However, some, due to the need to care for young children, difficulties in learning the language and other reasons, are still forced to rely on social housing and benefits. It will be more difficult for this group of migrants, as several EU countries have already stopped financing apartments, rooms or houses for refugees.
The other day, more than a thousand Ukrainians in the German district of Erzgebirgskreis received official letters from the local authorities demanding to vacate the apartments provided by the municipality by mid-June.
“These apartments are so-called guaranteed housing, rented by the municipality, that is, apartments that are subject to the Law on Benefits for Asylum Seekers. This does not apply to Ukrainians. They have the status of temporary protection and receive social assistance. Therefore, they are encouraged to look for an apartment on the free housing market “, – notes the representative of the local government Rico Anton.
The employee emphasizes that notices of termination of the lease contract have been sent since the end of last year, because the apartments are urgently needed by migrants from other countries. Unlike Ukrainian refugees, they do not have the status of temporary protection, which does not give them full rights to freedom of movement and makes it impossible to find housing on their own.
Rico Anton says that 40% of Ukrainians in Ertsgebirgskreis have already found new housing. He assures that the local authorities will do everything to prevent migrants from ending up on the street. In particular, if a person provides evidence that he has found housing, but it will only become available within a month or two, the municipality will allow him to stay in a social apartment until moving.
We remind you that Ukrainian refugees who have lived in the Czech Republic for more than 90 days, will be forced to move out of humanitarian housing by September 1. The country’s authorities urged migrants not to postpone the search for new apartments.
