PostedJune 25, 2022, 8:20 PM
The Bernese authorities do not know the whereabouts of 338 refugees who have been registered in the canton.
Refugees are free to move within the Schengen area (photo illustration).
AFP
For the past few weeks, the canton of Bern has been taking stock of the situation of the Ukrainian refugees present on its soil. To do this, host families are contacted and must answer a few questions such as: are the refugees still living with their hosts? Are they still in the canton of Bern? Do host families or people who have fled war have particular concerns?
The aim was also to have an overview of where the 1,000 Ukrainian refugees are. The information collected shows that half of them are still living with their host families and that 15% have moved into their own accommodation. As for the remaining 350 people, the Bernese authorities only know that twelve of them have left for another canton, reveals the “Switzerland am Wochenende’. In other words, the situation of one in three refugees is not known.
A situation that does not worry Gundekar Giebel, spokesperson for the Directorate of Health, Social Affairs and Integration – the body responsible for refugees in the canton of Bern. He recalls in the German-speaking Swiss newspaper that not only can refugees move freely within the Schengen area but that host families can also break their commitment. Moreover, it is not uncommon for refugees to change their place of residence, without deregistering from the previous place.
(aze)