On 29 April, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the Action Plan for Supporting Ukrainian Civilians in the Republic of Latvia. The plan provides for coordinated and immediate action by state institutions, municipalities and businesses to host, accommodate and provide social support to up to forty thousand Ukrainian civilians fleeing the war.
As the Minister for the Interior, Marija Golubeva emphasizes: It is now essential to balance the responsibility of both, the state and local authorities to care for Ukrainian civilians. The plan adopted by the government today includes a number of support measures and will relieve both local and state budgets. We will have to decide how to support Ukrainian civilians after the first three months spent in Latvia, and we will be working on these options in the coming weeks.”
Russian troops have been invading Ukraine for more than two months, destroying civilian infrastructure and killing civilians. Almost five million Ukrainian civilians have already left Ukrainian territory since the beginning of the war, and the number of Ukrainian civilians in Latvia has already exceeded the initial projections. 25 872 Ukrainian civilians have been granted a personal identity number, 15 546 long-stay visas and 4 292 residence permits have been issued (data as of 29 April 2022). 19 838 Ukrainian civilians have declared their wish to stay in the Republic of Latvia for an extended period of time.
The measures included in the Action Plan will continue to be coordinated by the established Civil Protection Operational Control Centre, headed by the State Secretary of the Ministry of the Interior, Dimitrijs Trofimovs.
In order to ensure the provision of support to the civilian population of Ukraine, the measures included in the Action Plan are structured in twelve sections. Just as before, Ukrainian civilians will be guaranteed the right to reside in the Republic of Latvia, the right to employment, the volume of support within the limits set by the Law on Support of Civilians in Ukraine, as well as the right to education. The protection of personal and property rights and interests of minors of Ukrainian civilians entering the Republic of Latvia without parental accompaniment will also be ensured.
The amount of possible support per Ukrainian civilian is based on the principle that the amount of services and support provided does not exceed the amount of support available to the Latvian population.
Accommodation for persons in need, for up to 90 days, is provided on a priority basis, with referrals to voluntary host households, including reimbursement to households of 100 euros for the first person and 50 euros for each additional person, up to a maximum of 300 euros per month per dwelling per household application.
It also provides for the possibility of concluding rental agreements with private persons for the transfer of residential premises for the use of Ukrainian civilians at a rent not exceeding 400 euros per month per dwelling, including all payments related to the use of the residential premises (utilities). The relevant amendments to the legislation are planned to be discussed at the forthcoming meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers.
Finally, persons may be directed to accommodation in municipal accommodation or tourist hostels, with accommodation costs of up to 15 euros per person per day.
However, meals or groceries for up to 30 days will be provided up to a maximum of 10 euros per person per day, except for those accommodated in voluntary host households.
The plan also provides for preventive measures in the areas of state security, border security, prevention of trafficking in human beings, public order and security, as well as protection of the rights and freedoms of the Ukrainian civilian population.
The additional funding needed to implement the Action Plan is planned to be covered by the State budget programme “Funds for Unforeseen Events”, with an indicative estimate that the funding needed to implement the Action Plan will not exceed 116 277 466 euros.
The current plan approved by the Government on 28 February to host ten thousand Ukrainian civilians will expire with the entry into force of the new Action Plan.
Prepared by:
Ministry of the Interior
Communication Department