Two years since the war in Ukraine began, UNHCR calls on Bosnia and Herzegovina to grant appropriate status to Ukrainian refugees in the country

As we have just marked the second anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion, the people in Ukraine, every single day, are facing hardship, the threat of attacks, fear of hostilities, separation from family members, disruption of lives, education, livelihoods. The country has been experiencing forced displacement and humanitarian needs not witnessed in Europe since World War II. 

The intense hostilities have led to devastation, destruction and millions of people uprooted. There are currently almost 6.5 million refugees from Ukraine scattered around the world, the majority – some 6 million, being hosted in countries across Europe. In addition, nearly 4 million people continue to be internally displaced within Ukraine and overall, some 14.6 million people in Ukraine – around 40% of the population – are in need of life-saving assistance. 

Contemplating about the situation in Ukraine, which he just recently visited, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi shared his concern, saying that unlike last year, the situation in Ukraine is no longer in the focus of global attention. “There is somehow a trend towards getting used to Ukrainian suffering”, he added.  We must not allow this war to become another forgotten crisis. We must never accept, or get used to, the suffering of innocent civilians.

Since the beginning of the invasion, thousands of Ukrainian citizens have travelled to Bosnia and Herzegovina, possibly seeking protection. While the vast majority have meanwhile left the country, there are still 213 Ukrainian refugees staying in BiH, most of them generously hosted by the communities in Čitluk and Međugorje. Since their arrival to Bosnia and Herzegovina, UNHCR has been coordinating activities to support Ukrainian refugees, primarily with the Red Cross and other international and national actors, ensuring an effective and timely assistance. However, the most important assistance that these people need is an appropriate response by the BiH authorities related to their status in the country. So far, unlike most EU countries and several countries in the region, the BiH authorities did not grant the “Temporary Protection” status to Ukrainians fleeing the war. This is a specific status adapted to the situation faced by the refugees from Ukraine. Instead, the BiH authorities facilitated the entry and residence of Ukrainian citizens in Bosnia and Herzegovina “on humanitarian grounds”, granting them a status that does not offer access to any basic rights (health, education, work, etc.). This status would never allow them to legally access the labour market and become self-sustainable, leaving them fully dependent on humanitarian aid. The unavailability of health care for such a vulnerable population is a serious impediment, keeping in mind that the vast majority are women and children.

Considering the prolonged situation of uncertainty and the need for adequate and efficient protection of persons who fled Ukraine, the EU Member States agreed last year to extend the Temporary Protection Directive. The same protection should also be provided in Bosnia and Herzegovina: the Ministry of Security should initiate the request to the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina for its adoption. If this is not done, the Ukrainian refugees can only rely on different statuses that are not ensuring adequate protection of their rights.

We in UNHCR firmly believe that by taking the right decisions, Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the assistance from key national and international organizations, can offer adequate support and assistance to ensure that vulnerable Ukrainian refugees can enjoy full protection here, and are not compelled to initiate further journey to safety, being exposed to numerous risks.