Romania will receive more than 6,000 refugees in two years, and the first 11 of them will arrive in the country next week, on March 3, according to the General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI), reports local Euractiv.ro.

According to the relocation mechanism for refugees from Greece and Italy, adopted by the Justice and Home Affairs Council by a qualified majority last year, Romania is to receive 6,205 refugees in 2016 and 2017.

Currently, IGI has asked 190 refugees from Italy and 125 from Greece. This should be the first wave of migrants relocated to Romania. The first 11 refugees will arrive in the country on March 3 and will be accommodated at a center in Galati.

The Immigration Inspectorate hasn’t revealed their countries of origins.

In late-November 2015, Romania’s current Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos signed the Decision through which it was established the Inter-ministerial Committee of the National Coalition for Integration of Refugees.

The Committee’s objective is to integrate the refugees into the Romanian society. It includes NGOs members and representatives of ministries, intelligence services, and the Prime Minister’s Chancellery. Although the Labor Minister was to be in charge of this coalition, these attributions were passed to State Secretary Marius Dobre.

According to local Euractiv.ro, the Decision says that the NGOs are “permanent guests” and the Committee shall meet “monthly or whenever is necessary.” However, according to representatives of member NGOs, no meeting has been organized so far.

Romania to receive some 300 refugees from Greece and Italy. 

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com