According to news from the Gazeta Wyborcza, a refugee center in the city of Bytom, Poland is going to close on November 9.

The Office for Foreigners decided to close the refugee center in Bytom, a city in the Silesian Province (Województwo Śląskie) of Poland.

The decision was a shock for everyone. The center was described as the best refugee center in Poland and was presented as a model because it was not just a shelter for asylum seekers but also an integration program which became successful with the help of local residents and authorities.

The center was the only one in the Silesian Province of Poland. Another refugee center in the region, in the city of Katowice, closed during the winter, two years ago. At the moment, 82 Chechen asylum seekers live in this refugee center and they do not know what to do next. The winter is arriving and moving to flat will be very difficult due to the weather. Up to 27 children go to schools in Bytom and after moving, their education will certainly be impacted.

*Text was translated by Waynakh Online and edited by Michael Capobianco