Minister of Justice meets with the Ambassador of Ukraine

Þorbjörg Sigríður Gunnlaugsdóttir, Minister of Justice, and Oleksiy Gavrysh, Ambassador of Ukraine to Iceland, held a productive meeting at the ministry earlier this month, where they discussed various issues relating to Ukrainian refugees in Iceland.
At the meeting, the Minister reiterated its firm and continued support for Ukraine, its sovereignty, and its people. She also reviewed the proposed amendments to the legislation on collective protection in situations of mass displacement. The proposed amendments are intended to clarify the legal nature and scope of residence permits granted under the temporary collective protection mechanism that Iceland activated following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Minister explained that the draft legislation seeks to ensure greater legal clarity and predictability regarding the distinction between temporary collective protection and other forms of international protection or long-term residence status under Icelandic law. The objective of the authorities is to align Icelandic legislation with that of other European countries. “I fully recognize the challenges that ongoing temporary solutions present, and I hope that Iceland and the rest of Europe, together with Ukraine, will find an acceptable way forward before the Temporary Protection Scheme ends in March next year,” said Gunnlaugsdottir.