The Ministry of Justice has taken urgent measures, in view of its powers, to maximise the facilitation and expansion of the regime for providing free legal support to Ukrainian and Bulgarian citizens coming from Ukraine to Bulgaria
Counseling in connection with the provision of protection in Bulgaria, including assistance in filling in documents, is provided by lawyers registered in the National Register of Legal Aid in all 14 regional counseling centers.
Full list of contacts of the regional centres: https://mjs.bg/home/index/7fad28f3-f00e-4d7a-86c3-a570762aca1e
- The Ministry of Justice has launched an information campaign to disseminate the published information in Ukrainian and English with the full list of addresses and telephone numbers of the consultation centers, which has been uploaded on the websites of the Ministry of Justice and the National Legal Aid Bureau.
- At the same time, the National Bureau sent a recommendation to the country’s bar associations, which have not opened counseling centers, to open such counseling centers as soon as possible.
- Ukrainian citizens seeking protection on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria, as well as Bulgarian citizens coming from Ukraine, can also use the National Legal Aid Phone 0700 18 250. From March 9, 2022 it will work with extended working hours – every weekday from 8:30 AM. to 18.30 PM. until the need disappears.
- With the decision of the National Legal Aid Bureau of March 8, 2022, all lawyers registered in the National Legal Aid Register will be able to provide advice to citizens arriving from Ukraine. This means that even in the settlements where there are no Regional Consultation Centers open and at the same time there are refugees in need of this service, they will be able to use it.
- Lawyers will provide advice not only from their office or the office of the centers. They will also go to the place where a group of people in need are located.
– Our country will also participate in the investigation of the International Criminal Court in The Hague for possible war crimes. One possible option is for lawyers who are on the front lines and talk to refugees to get involved with information about the various crimes, aggressions and atrocities committed.
-Our country will support the process of gathering evidence. One of the important tasks next week is to create a coordination mechanism for this.