Accents of Europe

The new European solidarity towards refugees

Audio 7:30 p.m.

Ukrainian refugees rest in the Beregsurany aid center near the Hungarian-Ukrainian border, Hungary, Wednesday, March 16, 2022. © Attila Balazs/MTI via AP

By: Frederique Lebel

2 mins

In 2015, Hungary was one of the first European countries to see Syrian refugees arrive on its soil.

But they were then declared undesirable by the Orban government, which immediately began building a wall on the southern border to prevent their passage.

Today, the atmosphere is quite different.

470,000 Ukrainians have found refuge in the country, especially in transit, it must be said, leaving for other countries: Poland, Germany, Italy or Spain.

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Because on the side of the government, we play the card of false neutrality, little information given to refugees on their rights and a minimum allowance of 80 euros per month.

It is therefore the volunteers who are on the front line to welcome Ukrainians, but also foreigners, Africans who were resident in Ukraine and who have fled.

This is the report in Budapest by 

.

Complex political situation also in Bulgaria

The coalition government, which includes the resolutely pro-Russian Socialist Party, does not wish to denounce Moscow head-on while sparing its European allies.

Difficult balance explained to us by Sofia

.

European Union: asylum and migration pact

What if Europe has put in place temporary protection that allows all Ukrainians to stay for one year, renewable, and to benefit from housing, social and medical assistance, access to the labor market and the schooling of children, Brussels is also working on a major reform.

That of the asylum and migration pact.

The main lines which should determine a tightening of the conditions of access to European territory for foreigners and which our correspondent

explains to us from Brussels . 

And outside Europe, refugees fleeing war in Ukraine have also sought refuge in Israel

Why ?

Because a large Ukrainian diaspora already lives there, one of the largest foreign communities with Filipinos and Indians.

In Israel, when it comes to immigration or asylum, not everyone is in the same boat.

Israeli laws are very restrictive, very selective.

Being a Jewish or non-Jewish Ukrainian does not offer the same status and does not give the same advantages.

In Jerusalem, 

.

Not since the end of World War II has Europe seen such a massive movement of people

According to the latest figures on Wednesday, nearly 3.5 million Ukrainian refugees have fled their country.

Catherine Wihtol de Wenden is a researcher emeritus at the CNRS, she is one of the best specialists in migratory phenomena.

Invited

, at the end of last week, she puts into perspective this flight of Ukrainian refugees which makes the daily headlines of our news. 

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• Ukraine

• Refugees

• Bulgaria

• European Union

• International Migrations

• Hungary

On the same subject

Like Viktoria and her children, thousands of Ukrainians welcomed to Israel

Great report

On board a humanitarian convoy to the Ukrainian border

Accents of Europe

The reception of Ukrainian refugees in Europe is organized