WARSAW (AP) — Hoping to restore some of their normalcy after fleeing the war in Ukraine, thousands of refugees were waiting in long lines on Saturday in Warsaw, the Polish capital, to obtain identification credentials that would allow them to get on with their lives, at least for now.
Refugees began lining up at the Warsaw National Stadium overnight to obtain the coveted PESEL ID that will allow them to work, live, attend school and receive medical care or social benefits for the next 18 months. Even so, by mid-morning many were asked to return the next day as demand was too high, even when the Polish authorities simplified the process.
“I am impressed with the Poles as they were very friendly,” said a woman trained in the row. “We are all new here... we just seek and try to adapt to a new life.”
So far, Poland has received more than 2 million refugees from Ukraine, most of the more than 3.3 million people the UN says have fled since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24. Hundreds of thousands more have also fled to Hungary, Slovakia, Moldova and Romania.
Most of the refugees fleeing Ukraine have been women and children, as men between 18 and 60 years old are forbidden to leave the country and have stayed to fight.
Polish authorities say that more than 123,000 refugees have received identification numbers, including more than 1,000 newspapers in Warsaw, since the program was launched on Wednesday.
Svetlana, a Ukrainian from Ivano-Frankivsk who has lived and worked in Poland for more than 10 years, has already welcomed relatives. He said that receiving the Polish identification numbers will make a big difference for everyone who comes from Ukraine.
“It's really very important for us to be able to work officially, send children to school and be active here,” Svetlana said.
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