Poland
From July 1, Poland will stop providing 40 zlotys per day to each Ukrainian refugee for food and shelter, according to a report by Rzeczpospolita.
“We believe many people in Poland can become independent and adapt,” stated Pavel Bossernacker, deputy minister of the Interior and Administration and spokesperson for refugees, in an interview with TVP Info.
He noted exceptions: Ukrainian disabled individuals, pregnant women, and mothers with large families will continue to receive payments.
A prominent Polish politician, who preferred anonymity, told Rzeczpospolita that after February 24 the government guaranteed aid for the first 60 days of stay under a special law assisting Ukrainian refugees. A month ago, this period was extended by another 60 days. Daily benefits sometimes reached 300 zł for adults and 500 zł for each child.
“We see many Ukrainians seeking and finding work. We want to encourage others to be active. Four months of full provisioning is enough time in our view,” the unnamed official said.
Plans also include free Polish language instruction and additional training courses for internally displaced persons. Officials in Poland believe two months is sufficient to secure employment.
Piotr Długosz, a professor at the Pedagogical University in Krakow, commented to the publication that withdrawing aid could signal to refugees that support is ending and it is time to return to Ukraine.
Since many refugees prefer to work rather than stay idle, authorities may also seek to curb abuse through this policy change.
Polish border guards report that more than 3.57 million Ukrainian refugees have arrived since February 24, with up to two million potentially choosing Poland as permanent residence.
Over 150,000 internally displaced people have settled in Krakow, Poland’s second-largest city, which held a population of about 780,000 before the influx. RMF radio noted that, from June 1, free travel on public transport for Ukrainian refugees in Krakow was canceled.
Since February 24, Ukrainian settlers can use city trams and buses for free. The Krakow city council explained this measure helps with paperwork, job searching, and travel to places where aid is provided.
Deputy Interior Minister Pavel Shefernaker warned that Poland is running low on funds to support refugees.
“The costs we incur for refugees from Ukraine run into billions, not millions of euros. Therefore, EU aid should also be measured in billions, not millions,” he said. He noted that three months earlier the European Commission announced €144.6 million in support for Poland, but the funds had not yet arrived. At the same time, Poland cannot divert funds from EU programs to refugees due to ongoing project commitments.
“And the funds allocated by the EU from immigration coffers are nearly absent,” Schefernaker added.
Bulgaria
Some 300,000 Ukrainian refugees entered Bulgaria after the onset of Russia’s military operation, with more than 90,000 remaining in the country according to recent figures.
Many internally displaced people were lodged in hotels along the Black Sea coast. Initially they received 40 BGN per day for care, but the allowance for food and accommodation was later reduced to 15 BGN daily. More than 500 hotels across the country agreed to operate under this rate.
With the summer season approaching and its economic relevance, authorities began relocating Ukrainians from hotels to entertainment venues or cheaper accommodations, triggering discontent among some Bulgarians who feel their own living conditions are strained.
“Some refugees make unreasonable demands, asking to be placed in top sea-front hotels, to have meat twice a week, and to have hairdryers in restrooms,” explained Mariana Tosheva, head of the State Refugee Agency.
Due to pushback, the government halted the inland relocation program and instead placed those in need into designated buffer centers. Deputy Prime Minister Kalina Konstaninova stated, “Bulgaria can no longer afford to keep Ukrainian citizens in seaside hotels.”
She added that rather than accepting aid that makes refugees feel comfortable, many waved requests that cannot be met. Shelter conditions in some centers were described as Spartan, prompting some Ukrainians to leave the country rapidly. According to dnes.dir.bg, a bus carrying 35 people left Bulgaria on May 31, with only one passenger aboard.
Other countries
In Latvia, a lack of funds has left internally displaced Ukrainians without free meals.
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said at a May 30 press conference that he would seek financial assistance from the EU to help accommodate refugees. He noted that although the refugee wave has weakened, shelter capacity is near full and asked for additional EU support.
Many refugees in Germany have sought work, drawn in part by the promise of higher support for care. As of June, refugees will be registered at employment centers to facilitate job placement.
Free travel for internally displaced persons has been canceled not only in Poland but also in Switzerland, Germany, and the Czech Republic.
According to the United Nations, Poland had hosted the largest share of Ukrainian refugees as of May 29, with more than 3.6 million, while the total number of people who left Ukraine reached 6.8 million. About 1.6 million internally displaced people were reported to have moved to Russia, according to sources from law enforcement reported by TASS on the eve of the month.