Lithuania’s Social Security Ministry has drafted a bill to offer social benefits for Ukrainian war refugees.
“Those are extra social guarantees for people, in addition to the temporary protection mechanism,” Social Security and Labour Minister Monika Navickiene told MPs while presenting the draft amendments.
Once a person is granted temporary protection in Lithuania, they will be able to apply for basic social welfare benefits.
The bill passed the first reading in the Seimas with 114 votes in favour and would now go to parliamentary committees.
The ministry said that the Ukrainians fleeing war would be granted temporary protection for a period of one year, which, if necessary, could be extended for another year. People covered by temporary protection would be eligible for social benefits.
They could apply for all available child benefits, one-off installation allowances, partial reimbursement of rental costs as well as social assistance pensions. Moreover, the Ukrainians granted temporary protection in Lithuania should be eligible for social assistance as well as compensations for the cost of heating, drinking water and hot water, if they have no income.
More than 2 million people have fled Ukraine to neighbouring countries since Russia unleashed its invasion of Ukraine in late February. Some of the refugees are heading to Lithuania.
According to the data from the Social Security and Labour Ministry, around 5,000 Ukrainians have come to Lithuania so far. (LRT/Business World Magazine)
