The European Commission (EC) provides the Ministry of the Interior with EUR 7.8 million to financially support Latvia’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its migration management system and its capacity to host Ukrainian civilians.
The Ministry of the Interior has demonstrated to the EC that Latvia has provided substantial support to Ukrainian civilians fleeing Russia’s war against Ukraine, as well as to Ukrainian services, such as the State Fire and Rescue Service, which has supplied Ukraine with equipment (helmets, pressure cookers, barrels, firefighters’ special protective suits, etc.), hygiene items, sleeping bags, blankets, beds, mattresses, etc. Rescue and search equipment and 20 000 litres of firefighting foam concentrate, as well as diving equipment, have been handed over to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.
The support provided to the Ukrainian civilian population was also appreciated by the European Commission’s Deputy Director-General for Migration and Home Affairs Beate Gminder, at the launch of the European Union Home Affairs Funds 2014-2020 and 2021-2027 “The European Union’s contribution to your security!” on 2 December, noting that the amount of support is really substantial.
Currently, 11 494 Ukrainian civilians are hosted in Latvia through the Municipal Civil Protection Commissions. And 37 810 persons have been issued with residence permits (humanitarian visas and temporary residence permits) with the right to employment.
The Ministry of the Interior will shortly prepare an information report with proposals for the use of the funding, taking into account the most pressing needs.
The financing agreement between the EC DG Migration and Home Affairs and the Ministry of the Interior was signed on 13 December this year. The Ministry of the Interior prepared a funding application in autumn 2022 under the Thematic Mechanism of the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) Emergency Financial Instrument.
Photo Copyright: European Union
Ministry of the Interior
Communication Department
kn@iem.gov.lv