WELCOMING UKRAINIAN WAR REFUGEES IN ROMANIA: ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES OF HUMAN SECURITY

Following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, Romanian authorities had to manage the large influx of Ukrainian war refugees and ensure timely and effective measures for their integration. This paper aims to identify the way in which Romanian authorities addressed the risks that the Ukrainian refugees had, from a human security perspective, in the integration process. On answering the research question whether a high degree of positive social identity determines a high level of human security, the paper focuses on exploring the Ukrainian war refugees’ access to the labour market, healthcare and educational systems in Romania between the 24th of February 2022 and the 31st of December 2023. The study examines the interaction of Ukrainian war refugees with the public and private entities in Romania as well as that between the Romanian authorities and the Romanian non-governmental organizations in managing the crisis caused by the inflow of the Ukrainian war refugees, from their arrival at the Romanian borders and during their stay in Romania. To answer the research question, Eurobarometer surveys and statistical data, provided by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the Romanian National Authority for Citizenship and the Romanian National Institute of Statistics, have been used. Empirical research conducted by three Romanian NGOs are also explored. Findings indicate that, despite the rather weak measures for their integration on the labour market, medical care and educational systems and some populist denigrating narratives, the human security of Ukrainian war refugees in Romania was provided.