Over 240 refugees from Timisoara Emergency Transit Center, relocated to other states in 2023
241 people from the western Timisoara Emergency Transit Center were relocated this year to other countries such as Norway – 193, Great Britain – 24, The Netherlands – 23, Canada – 1, the General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI) informed in a press release on Thursday.
The Emergency Transit Center (CTU) in Timisoara is the first institution of this type in the world and a model of good practices, being an important instrument of the international protection policy, says IGI, adding that the center became operational with the entry into force of the Agreement between the Government, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration regarding the temporary evacuation to Romania of some persons in urgent need of international protection and their subsequent relocation, ratified by Law no. 291/2008 (Tripartite Agreement).
“The Emergency Transit Center in Timisoara offers temporary shelter to refugees in need of emergency evacuation from the first country of asylum, either because of the risk of being returned to the country where they are persecuted, or because of unstable, inhuman and dangerous conditions where they are and ensures their protection until they are resettled in another state,” the source states.
The center currently has a capacity of 200 places, having the necessary infrastructure and equipment in compliance with the reception standards established at the European and international level, which allow the activities provided for by the Tripartite Agreement to be carried out in good conditions.
The period of temporary stay on the territory of Romania granted to the persons who are the subject of the Tripartite Agreement is 6 months from the date of their entry into Romania, with the possibility of extending the right of stay for individual cases and exceptionally.
Since the entry into force of the Agreement, UNHCR has requested access to the territory of Romania for a total number of 4,991 persons, of which 2 children were born on the territory of Libya before arriving in Romania, 4,600 persons received the consent to be evacuated to CTU, 3,733 people entered the territory of Romania benefiting from assistance through the CTU, 25 children were born on the territory of Romania, 2 people died in Romania and 3,736 people were later relocated to other states.