Latvia's aid packet for Ukrainian civilians in 2023 approved

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At a meeting on Tuesday, December 20, the government approved a plan of measures to support Ukrainian residents in Latvia in 2023. This means that Ukrainian civilians in Latvia will continue to receive assistance to the current extent, said the Ministry of Interior (IeM).

The annotation of the Order states that the total annual cost of the new plan of measures is €214,073,012. Foreign financial instruments are expected to raise €9.7 million. An additional amount of €204,341,151 is therefore needed. The calculations have been done in an indicative manner, as stated in the legislative annotation. Clarity on the available funding is for the first half of the year, i.e. €102,170,576. Next summer, the government will have to decide on financing future refugee support measures, reports LETA.

IeM said that the calculations were made on the assumption that another 40,000 Ukrainian civilians would arrive in Latvia in 2023. The forecast is based on the number of Ukrainian civilians in Latvia in 2022 and the situation in international policy.

In order to ensure that refugee aid is provided, the measures included in the plan are structured in 11 chapters. Refugees are granted the right to reside in Latvia, primary aid, the right to employment, the amount of aid specified in the law, the right to education, as well as ensuring the personal and property rights and interests of unaccompanied minors in Latvia.

Currently, 11,535 Ukrainian civilians are housed through municipalities. Temporary protection status has been suspended for 2,444 Ukrainian civilians.

Several hundred Ukrainian citizens arrive in Latvia every day through its external border but most of them are now crossing Latvia in transit and the flow of newly arriving Ukrainian civilians has stabilized. However, statistics show that a relatively large number of Ukrainian civilians in need of assistance continue to arrive and stay in Latvia. There is also no reason to assume that a large number of Ukrainians in Latvia will be able to return to Ukraine soon.

 

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