• Maris Kucinskis is nominated for the post of new Prime Minister
• MPs discussed security issues concerning accommodation of asylum seekers in Latvia

The President Raimonds Vejonis has nominated the candidate from the Union of Greens and Farmers Maris Kucinskis for the post of new Prime Minister. Earlier, one of the leaders of the National Union (NU), MP Raivis Dzintars stated that the party most likely will support Mr Kucinskis because he promised to cooperate with the NU on three key issues - transfer of all minority schools into Latvian as the only language of instruction, maintaining negative attitude towards further reception of asylum seekers, and issues concerning demography. Lsm.lv , Vesti Segodnya (12.01)

Latvijas Avize reports about a meeting of the Saeima’s Defense, Interior and Corruption Prevention Committee with representatives of the Security Police and the Constitution Protection Bureau to discuss security issues concerning accommodation of asylum seekers in Latvia. According to the head of the Committee, it is necessary to increase the capacity of the Security Police for operations concerning checks of asylum seekers. The Committee members also agreed that refugees, who will receive status in Latvia, should be resettled in different Latvian regions in order to avoid their concentration in one place.  

• Ministry of Interior confirmed plans to open a closed centre for detained immigrants in Mucinieki

In response to a request sent by an association of Mucinieki (the town where the accommodation centre for asylum seekers is located) residents, the Ministry of Interior has confirmed plans to open a closed centre for detained immigrants in the town. Currently, the only detention centre is located in Daugavpils (city in the Eastern part of Latvia), but due to increased number of immigrants illegally crossing Latvian border, the centre is overfilled. It is planned that the detention centre in Mucinieki will have the capacity of 84 foreigners. As reported, it is also planned to expand the capacity of the Mucinieki accommodation centre for asylum seekers. Rus.delfi.lv  

• 78% of Latvian residents do not support accommodation of asylum seekers in Latvia

Public opinion survey conducted by the research centre SKDS in December 2015 shows that 78% of Latvian residents do not support reception of asylum seekers in Latvia, while 15,7% of residents support it.  According to the head of SKDS Arnis Kaktins, the results of the survey show that the society has unanimous opinion regarding the accommodation of asylum seekers in general and there are almost no differences between the opinions of different groups of respondents. Neatkariga

• Former Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga supports ban of face-covering clothing in Latvia

The former Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga supports the ban of veil covering  the face in Latvia due to security reasons. Commenting the refugee crisis and Latvia’s ability to integrate such people, Mrs Vike-Freiberga said that it is an opportunity to address integration issues from a different perspective as before. The integration process has to have a precondition that it is integration into the ethnic Latvian society.  Diena.lv

• Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma: Latvia is ready to accommodate asylum seekers also from Sweden

Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma stated that Latvia is ready to accommodate asylum seekers relocated not only from Greece and Italy but also from Sweden. Earlier the Swedish Prime Minister asked the EU to relocate some of the asylum seekers who arrived to Sweden to other member states.  News agency BNS