Most European countries are cutting funding for programs to help Ukrainian refugees due to budget constraints. Find out more about the changes introduced for Ukrainians in different EU countries

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Many European countries responded to the call for help and immediately after the outbreak of the war began to provide all the necessary assistance to Ukrainians who fled for their lives abroad. 

Currently, due to lack of funds, a number of countries are planning to cut financial assistance to Ukrainian refugees. What will change for Ukrainians abroad - read more in the article. 

Romania

Romania has been hosting Ukrainian refugees since the first day of the full-scale war. So far, the country has spent more than 500 million euros. However, due to the lack of funds in the budget, the Romanian government has made a number of decisions aimed at reducing assistance to Ukrainians. First, Romania stopped paying refugees for housing. And recently, the country's authorities approved a plan to cut financial assistance to refugees by almost half. 

"We have a very limited budget. We have already spent millions of euros to help Ukrainians and plan to continue to do so in the future. We are making every effort to provide support to absolutely everyone, both Romanians and foreigners", - said government spokesman Dan Carbunaru. 

Starting in May, Ukrainians currently residing in Romania will receive a monthly lump sum of 2,000 lei ($445). Individuals will receive 750 lei per month for housing.  

It is noted that the new payments will be provided only for 1 month to those Ukrainians who can work, but have not yet found a job and have not enrolled their children in educational institutions. 

Due to the recent changes, paying for housing for Ukrainians in Bucharest may be difficult, as the average rental price is about 400-500 € per month. 

Poland 

Currently, there are about 1.6 million Ukrainian refugees registered in Poland. Recently, the country has already canceled part of the financial support for Ukrainians, namely a housing subsidy of 40 zlotys ($10) per person per day for able-bodied Ukrainians living in collective housing. 

Free travel in public transport in Poland has also been canceled. 

However, it is noted that other types of assistance, such as monthly payments of 500 zlotys for children, free education and medical care, are still in effect in Poland. 

Czech Republic 

In the Czech Republic, almost half a million Ukrainian refugees have received financial assistance. To date, the Czech Republic has spent about 23 billion CZK ($1.1 billion). 

The Czech authorities also plan to abandon payments to landlords and move to paying for housing for refugees themselves. Also, the amount of housing allowance will be reduced for able-bodied persons by the end of the year.

Slovakia

The Ministry of Finance of the country also announced a lack of funds in the budget to continue financial assistance to Ukrainians. The allowance of €24 per day for adults and €12 per child will expire in May. 

What changes await refugees in other countries? 

• Germany. Some German states are no longer accepting Ukrainian refugees due to accommodation problems. You can find out how the authorities are solving the issue of lack of accommodation by following the link.  

• Switzerland. The country's authorities will now require confirmation of the need for assistance from refugees who have been receiving funds from the state for a year. It is noted that the government is asking to review the availability of savings, jewelry and cars. Read more about the innovations in social assistance in Switzerland here. 

• Latvia. The country's authorities have set new requirements for refugees. From now on, knowledge of the language is mandatory. This decision will apply only to officially employed persons and will come into force on January 1, 2024. Read more about the changes for Ukrainians in Latvia here.  

• The Netherlands. From now on, in the Netherlands, the amount of financial assistance will depend on the level of income, and food benefits under the new rules will depend on the number of family members. You can read more about the new rules of social assistance in the Netherlands here. 

We remind you! Earlier we wrote that the mood of Ukrainians has changed significantly over the past six months. In particular, the number of Ukrainians who do not plan to return home has doubled. Read more about how many IDPs want to stay in Poland longer in our article.

Photo: GettyImages

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