” Centre of Legal Aid- Voice in Bulgaria considers extremely worrying the practice of the State Agency for Refugees at the Council of Ministers (SAR) to reject applications for international protection of citizens of the Syrian Arab Republic on the grounds that the situation in Syria is improving and parts of the country are a safe area for the return of Syrian citizens.
It should be recalled that against the background of Bulgaria’s repressive policy on granting international protection, Syrian nationals have so far been the only exception and have been granted unconditional humanitarian protection with few exceptions. This is due to the universally acknowledged understanding of the ongoing and deepening armed conflict in the country since 2013.
Civil war damage in Homs, Syria
The Syrian civil war is an ongoing multi-faceted conflict involving various actors – state-backed and non-state actors. As of now, the main military conflict is between the Syrian government and the rebels (Free Syrian Army), in addition to Turkish forces and factions within Syria. Since 5 October 2023, the Turkish armed forces have been systematically carrying out a series of air and ground strikes targeting the Syrian Democratic Forces in north-eastern Syria, which is why the nature of the conflict also has an international element.
There is not a single official source of information which claims that there is currently no risk to the civilian population in Syria and that the State (insofar as the areas under the control of the legitimate Syrian Government can be accepted as a genuinely functioning State entity) is able to ensure the protection of its citizens.
An abrupt change in the SAR’s position on the situation in Syria would not only result in a violation of a number of principles of refugee law, but would also result in a huge group of people being ‘locked’ in a legal vacuum in our country, with a potentially confirmed denial of protection and inability to return, lacking access to the labour market and basic guarantees for their dignified existence. Practices that are not based on facts and legal principles also do not correspond to the public interest, as they increase the risk of marginalisation of third-country nationals and hinder their integration into our society.
According to SAR statistics, between January and October 2024 alone, 6 497 Syrian citizens sought protection in Bulgaria – the largest group of asylum-seeking citizens in more than 10 years.
To date, a growing number of court cases have been initiated against SAR refusals to grant status to Syrian nationals. We call for strict judicial control of this dangerous political trend. We remind you that at stake in these policies are real human lives, families, vulnerable women and children, unaccompanied minors.
