The government approved a plan to cut its payouts by almost half to the almost 100,000 displaced Ukrainians now living in Romania.
The UN says it is Europe’s biggest refugee crisis since World War II, with four million entering Romania of which less than 100,000 have stayed.
There has been an outpouring of relief from NGOs, companies, local authorities as well as the government.
But the crisis has strained the budget. Romania stopped making payments for housing four months ago, after cash dried up. Government spokesman Dan Carbunaru said on Wednesday that all the arrears will be paid.
| The government on Wednesday agreed to switch to monthly lump-sump payments of 2,000 lei per family for housing. Individuals will get a monthly sum of 750 lei per month for housing and refugees will also receive additional 600 lei a month for food per person.
New aid will only be granted for one month to refugees who are able to work but not actively seeking jobs and don’t have children in schools. Romania spends 350,000 euros a day on refugees. |
A quarter of Romanians oppose aid to Ukraine, the highest disapproval rate in the EU.
Romania government says it spent 500 million euros in aid for Ukrainian refugees
