The Council of Ministers (CM) in resignation adopted a decision extending the validity of the temporary protection for those displaced from Ukraine on the territory of Bulgaria by one year, starting from 04.03.2026, the government press office announced.
The CM's decision is in accordance with the Council of the European Union's implementing decision to extend the validity of the Temporary Protection Directive until 04.03.2027.
The caretaker cabinet also adopted an amendment to a decision approving registration card templates, which are issued by the State Agency for Refugees under the Council of Ministers. It approves new registration card templates for temporary protection with a validity period of March 4, 2027, and sets a deadline for the re-registration of persons displaced from Ukraine, with temporary protection granted, in connection with the extension of the period of temporary protection on the territory of Bulgaria until March 4, 2027. The re-registration process will continue until 30.04.2026.
As of May 31, 2025, 4.28 million citizens of non-EU countries who fled Ukraine as a result of the Russian war against Ukraine had temporary protection status in the EU, Eurostat announced. The data show that their number has decreased the most in Bulgaria.
On June 13, 2025, the European Council adopted a decision to extend the period of temporary protection for these persons from March 4, 2026, to March 4, 2027.