APC/CZA publicly appealed to the Government of Serbia to urgently make a decision on the extending of temporary protection for refugees from Ukraine, which expires on March 19, 2023, because there are still the same justifiable reasons why the existing decision on temporary protection was initially adopted. APC/CZA advocated for the extension of temporary protection in contacts with decision-makers and main participants in the Serbian system of accepting refugees and asylum seekers.

Refugees from Ukraine cannot return to permanent and safe living conditions due to the current situation that prevails in Ukraine, where there is war and general and non-selective violence on a grand scale. Without the extension of temporary protection, refugees from Ukraine residing in Serbia are at risk of losing their residence in the country, the right to health care and other rights they exercised based on the original decision of the Government on temporary protection from 03/18/2022 that expires on Monday.

What our organization also pointed out as a big problem is the possibility of refugees from Ukraine losing their acquired jobs in Serbia, bearing in mind that their work permits are tied to the duration of temporary protection and that they also expire. In order for them to obtain new work permits and continue to do their current jobs, it is necessary for the Asylum Office to issue them new decisions on temporary protection and then to start the procedures for obtaining work permits or their extension. Even if a decision on the extension of temporary protection is made immediately by the Government, it will be a challenge for the Asylum Office to prepare individual solutions in a short period of time for more than 1200 persons who have been granted temporary protection so far.

The appeal of the APC/CZA was conveyed to the public by the most important media, such as the news agency Beta, Slobodna Evropa, N1, Danas and others.