Dilip Kuner
SPAIN has granted more than 50,000 temporary ‘protection documents’ to Ukrainian refugees in just one month.
The Ministry of the Interior reported that it processed and granted a total of 51,957 of the documents between March 10 and April 10. These give people the right to live, work and use their driving licences in Spain.
Madrid (10,133), Valencia (9,229) and Andalucia (9,023) are the autonomous communities which have received the most applications. Some 39.4% of the applicants were children.
According to the government, 13,000 Ukrainian children have already been enrolled in Spanish schools, with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez saying that a total of 110,000 Ukrainians have arrived in Spain since February 24.
All arriving refugees have been given the right to seek temporary protection at reception and accommodation centres.
Last week UK Home Secretary Priti Patel apologised for the fact that up to that point just 12,000 Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion of their country had entered the UK. Unlike many other European countries, the UK insists that the refugees must apply for a visa before being allowed into the country.
There have been 79,800 visa applications with a total of 40,900 issued so far.
The majority of visa holders are still making their way to the UK having had to wait for weeks in many cases for the visas to be granted.
In total, nearly 4.7 million people have fled Ukraine.
The countries that have accepted the most refugees are:
- Poland with 2,645,877
- Romania with 701,741
- Hungary with 434,342
- Moldova with 413,374
- Slovakia with 320,246
Displaced persons arriving in Spain can apply for temporary protection at the centres in Pozuelo de Alarcon (Madrid), at the Ciudad de la Luz in Alicante, at the Fira de Barcelona and at the Palacio de Ferias y Congresos in Malaga, as well as at 70 National Police stations throughout Spain.
READ MORE:
- Ukraine refugees get free training for hospitality and tourism jobs in Spain’s Benidorm and Costa Blanca areas
- Ukraine’s Zelensky thanks Spain’s parliament for support but attacks companies still trading with Russia
- EXPLAINED: How can I offer my home in Spain to refugees fleeing war in Ukraine?
