• MPs refused a proposal to demand the government to explain to the Parliament the accommodation of asylum seekers in Latvia

Yesterday, majority of the MPs refused a proposal to demand the government to provide to the Parliament its explanation about the accommodation of asylum seekers in Latvia. As reported, the decision to accommodate 250 asylum seekers was adopted by the Cabinet of Ministers at a closed session. The National Union (NU, member of the governing coalition) criticized the fact that the decision was taken without open debates in the Parliament. However, after a conversation with the Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma, the NU abandoned its initial initiative to demand the government to explain its decision to the Parliament. According to the Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma, first group of asylum seekers most likely will arrive to Latvia by the end of winter. But until that time, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia have to make sure that persons who will come are mentally similar to the residents of Baltic states, said Mrs Straujuma. At the same time, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Interior Ilze Petersone-Godmane said that the main criteria for the persons who will be accommodated in Latvia is their conformity with the status of asylum seekers.Diena, Latvijas Avize

• Saeima’s Citizenship, Migration and Society Consolidation Committee discussed accommodation of asylum seekers in Latvia

Yesterday, the Saeima’s Citizenship, Migration and Society Consolidation Committee discussed accommodation of asylum seekers. The MPs expressed their worries about the lack of the integration programme for refugees. The MP Ingmars Lidaka criticized the fact the National Integration Centre which was established in the framework of a project and assisted immigrants on integration issues is now closed because it did not find new funding source. The MP Andrejs Judins called not to look at asylum seekers as an item which can be chosen to our liking. He stressed that asylum seekers are real people with tragic past who deserve help and kindness. The MPs agreed to visit the centre for accommodation of asylum seekers “Mucinieki” next week in order to evaluate living conditions.

• Latvian Radio might decrease Russian language broadcasts due to funding cut
• State Border Guard: number of foreigners illegally crossing Latvian border grows

Vesti Segodnya reports that the Ministry of Finances plans to cut funding for the public mass media in 2016 for more than 1 million euros comparing to 2015. According to the Chairman of the Latvian Radio Aldis Paulins, such cut will force to change the radio programme including to cut in half Russian language broadcasts and to stop broadcasting in the border areas.

According to a representative of the State Border Guard, the number of foreigners illegally crossing Latvian border grows. Currently, the Detained Aliens and Asylum Seekers Accommodation Centre in Daugavpils is overcrowded. It accommodates 103 persons but is intended for 84 persons only. In order to accommodate more immigrants, the Border Guard rents temporary detention facilities of the State Police. During seven months of 2015, 227 foreigners were detained for attempt to cross Latvian border illegally (209 foreigners were detained during 2014.) 183 persons applied for asylum in Latvia this year. Majority of them are citizens of Vietnam and Afghanistan. Vesti Segodnya

• Raivis Dzintars: collisions over the refugee redistribution will not bring down the government
•  Cabinet of Ministers will consider informative report on public assistants to the State Language Centre
• Secretary of Latvian Human Rights Committee Aleksandrs Kuzmins was issued expulsion order in Lithuania

Neatkariga interviews the leader of National Union, MP Raivis Dzintars. Mr. Dzintars believes that the decision to redistribute 40,000 refugees within the EU will not solve the problem, and on the contrary, this will contribute to more people fleeing into the EU, increasing the pressure. He highlights that some countries do not take refugees within the present arrangement and believes the negotiators did not take into account the fact that the share of ethnic Latvians in Latvia is very low. Mr. Dzintars believes that genuine war refugees do not cross several countries to escape from the war, and that most Syrian refugees stay in safe areas within Syria or in neighbouring states. According to Raivis Dzintars, collisions within the government coalition over the refugee redistribution will not bring down the government.

The Cabinet of Ministers will consider informative report "On the establishment of the institution of public assistants to the State Language Centre" on 1 September 2015. The volunteers will provide assistance to ensure correct usage of the state language, including grammar, style and terminology, as well as monitor possible violations and report to the State Language Centre. Assistants shall have the highest level of Latvian language proficiency and a degree in social sciences. The report envisages up to 100 assistants by 2016, and budget EUR 6,929 in 2015, EUR76,605 in 2016 and EUR 70,953 in 2017. Vesti Segodnya

On 24 August 2015, the secretary of Latvian Human Rights Committee (and assistant of the MEP from Latvia Tatjana Zdanoka) Aleksandrs Kuzmins was issued an expulsion order and five year entry ban by authorities in Lithuania. Citizen of Latvia Aleksandrs Kuzmins intended to participate in the international conference "Ethnic nationalism as a threat to peace and stability" in Klaipeda. Vesti Segodnya

 

• Prime Minister promises not to accept more than 250 asylum seekers within next 5years

At the meeting with the members of the National Union (NU), the Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma promised that Latviawill not agree to accommodate voluntary more than 250 asylum seekers within next five years. Mrs Straujuma noted that it is her opinion which is not discussed within the party she represents (the Unity). She also said that if the situation with influx of asylum seekers to Europeescalates, the EU might force the member states to accept more asylum seekers. At the same time, the President Raimonds Vejonis in an interview with LTV1 stated that accommodation of 250 asylum seekers, most likely, is only a temporary solution for next two years.  Diena, Neatkariga, Vesti Segodnya