The City of Košice together with NGO ETP Slovakia have created a sub-web page especially for foreigners on its official website. It should serve as the online information centre for all foreigners who would like to live in Košice on a long term basis.
Related story:We want foreigners to integrate but we do everything to see them fail Read more The sub-webpage is in English and it should help all migrants who come to the city to seek a job, do business, study, for an exchange programme, for family or security. After gaining a residence permit, they become citizens of Košice.
Foreigners can find information about orientation in the city, help with basic administrative acts and contacts for an organisation that deals with the integration process. There are also tips for interaction with other communities, minority societies and local citizens. Its aim along with the New Neighbor Welcome Kit guide is to ease the first weeks of stay in the city.
Mayor Jaroslav Polaček believes that with this step foreigners will feel better in Košice. “Then we can create common values and make effective sense out of them,” he said, as quoted by the TASR newswire. The mayor added that there are also many foreign companies in Košice and it is time-demanding for foreigners to learn all the information linked to the system of government.
Related story:How can we improve the integration of foreigners in Bratislava? Read more Lenka Cziková from ETP Slovakia said that new trends in migration showed that there will be more foreigners in Košice, either studying or working. “We see the example in the Ukrainian community, which has the biggest representation in Košice,” she said, as quoted by TASR. “It is a natural move from the east to the west, which is possible to observe in several countries.”
Foreigners staying in Košice bring many benefits to the city, according to her, often creating vacancies, for example. She said that to be able to integrate and be accustomed to the city, they need help and support from the municipality.
29. Jan 2020 at 14:06 | Compiled by Spectator staff
