Finance, housing and employment: what problems do Ukrainians in the Baltic States face?
Ukrainians who have taken refuge in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia face a number of challenges. Financial instability is the main problem that affects a significant number of refugees in these countries. Find out more about other problems Ukrainians face in the Baltic States
The Baltic states - Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia - are actively working to provide support and temporary shelter to more than 150,000 Ukrainians. They are characterized by a high percentage of accepted Ukrainian refugees relative to their population among the countries of the European Union. This is reported by lrt.lt.
Challenges Ukrainians face in the Baltic States: details
About 75% of Ukrainian refugees express their intention to return home when circumstances allow, while 17% have not yet decided on their future plans.
These conclusions are based on a survey organized by the International Organization for Migration, Vilnius Branch (IOM Lithuania), which was conducted among Ukrainian refugees for the fourth time in 2023.
The results of the survey in Lithuania showed similar trends to those observed in other Baltic countries.
Eitvydas Bingelis, IOM Lithuania Chief of Mission, notes that the challenges of Ukrainians' integration are similar in all three countries. Among the main problems of Ukrainians in Lithuania is financial instability (25% of respondents), in Latvia this figure is 38%, while in Estonia the language barrier is in the first place (42%).
At the same time, Ukrainians in neighboring countries face problems related to long-term rental housing (17% in Latvia and 21% in Estonia) and difficulties with employment (31% in Latvia and 33% in Estonia).
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What kind of support did Ukrainian refugees receive the most?
In terms of the assistance provided, refugees in the Baltic States unanimously indicated food support as the most frequently received form of assistance.
A significant number of Ukrainians also benefited from free transportation and financial assistance.
According to the survey, there is a high need for medicines (19%), personal care products (16%) and clothing (14%).
As you know, since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine, almost 84,000 Ukrainians have arrived in Lithuania, while almost 75,000 refugees remain in Lithuania, about 44,000 in Latvia, and almost 36,000 in Estonia.
We remind you! The Lithuanian authorities have officially announced the extension of temporary protection for Ukrainian citizens, thereby providing them with the opportunity to legally stay in the country for another year. The government has also taken measures to simplify employment procedures for Ukrainians. Find out more about what will change and what are the new terms of asylum.
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