CCPR/C/118/D/2608/2015 socioeconomic status in Bulgaria and that the information provided by the authors with respect to the health problems of the male author could not lead to a different conclusion. In that connection, the Board noted that the author is a young man and considered that it could be assumed that he would obtain the necessary medical treatment for his heart condition in Bulgaria. 2.9 On 31 July 2015, the authors requested the Board to reopen their case, indicating that they had not applied for asylum in Bulgaria and that they would have to live on the streets with their child if returned to Bulgaria. On 31 August 2015, the Board rejected the request to reopen the case, as no substantial new information had been provided by the authors. The complaint 3.1 The authors allege that their deportation to Bulgaria will put them at risk of inhuman and degrading treatment, in violation of article 7 of the Covenant, as they would face homelessness, destitution, lack of access to health care and to personal safety. The authors further indicate that they must be regarded as extremely vulnerable, as they have a new baby, born on 1 October 2015, and the male author suffers from a serious heart condition. They allege that he needs permanent health care (echocardiography control every six months and urgent hospitalization to have a telemetry monitoring in case of need), and that he would therefore be at risk of death if no regular medical treatment was provided. 3.2 The authors also allege that there is no effective integration programme for refugees in Bulgaria and that refugees face serious poverty, homelessness and limited access to health care. They submit that the last integration programme was finalized in 2013 and that refugees are left in the void without sufficient support from the authorities for social inclusion and integration into society. 12 Furthermore, while according to domestic legislation, persons who have been granted refugee status have access to the labour market, health-care system, social services and assistance in finding housing, it is actually almost impossible for them to find work or a place to live. In addition, refugees must provide an address to get access to social services, which is almost impossible for them to obtain. 13 The authors further submit that they felt a difference in their situation before and after their residence permit were granted: before, they lived in poor conditions at the reception facility and were provided with a little pocket money. However, once the permit was issued, their situation deteriorated, as the payments were stopped and they had nowhere to live. 14 They refer to a report by UNHCR, according to which there is a gap between asylum seekers and recognized refugees, or persons who have been granted subsidiary protection, in terms of access to health care, because the update of their health-care status can take up to two months. Refugees also have to pay a monthly fee (approximately €8.7), which most families are not able to pay. In addition, medicines and psychosocial care are not covered. 15 12 13 14 15 The authors refer to Tsvelina Hristova and others, “Trapped in Europe’s quagmire: the situation of asylum seekers and refugees in Bulgaria” (Bordermonitoring.eu, 2014) and to a document of the Danish Refugee Council, Notat om forhold for asylansøgere og flygtninge i Bulgarien, available from https://flygtning.dk/media/1309372/nyhedsbrev-11.pdf. The authors submit that according to this report, the previous Government adopted a strategy plan for 2014 and onwards, which currently lacks the follow-up of an action plan with allocated funds. The authors refer to Asylum Information Database, “National country report: Bulgaria” (April 2014) and UNHCR, “Where is my home? Homelessness and access to housing among asylum seekers, refugees and persons with international protection in Bulgaria” (2013), pp. 11-13. The authors cite Human Rights Watch, “Containment plan: Bulgaria’s pushbacks and detention of Syrian and other asylum seekers and migrants” (April 2014), p. 5. The authors refer to “Bulgaria as a country of asylum. UNHCR observations on the current situation of asylum in Bulgaria”, p. 12. 5