Only five of the asylum seekers relocated to Latvia are still in the country

  • 2017-02-22
  • BNS/TBT Staff

RIGA  - Out of all the asylum seekers relocated to Latvia as part of the EU's relocation program, only five currently remain in the country - a three-person family and two separate asylum seekers, of which one is planning on leaving the country in the near future, Sandra Zalcmane, the head of Latvian NGO Patverums Drosa Maja (Shelter Safe House), told the LNT television channel this morning.

She denied that those asylum seekers who have agreed to be relocated to Latvia had chosen this country as a transit country right from the start. The main problem is that those persons who are relocated to Latvia know very little about the country, and the three months they are given to prepare to join local society is not enough for them to began to live self-dependently. She added that the first thing that shocks most of the asylum seekers is the relatively harsh climate, because of which many of them become ill.

The head of the NGO believes that ''Latvia has not done its homework'', as it has not provided these refugees with sufficient and objective information on what to expect when they arrive. Furthermore, the level of awareness about Latvia is also very dependent on the country they are being relocated from. She said that those asylum seekers relocated from Greece to Latvia are relatively well informed of what to expect in Latvia, however, those relocated from Italy and Turkey are not very well informed about living conditions in the country, she explained.

''Of course, people arrive, and they expect much more than what we can provide. Our country is as wealthy as it is. We as social workers are ''putting out the first'' as much as we can so that these persons have the proper clothing during the winter period and can receive various types of assistance,'' Zalcmane said.

She said that in order to solve the mentioned problems, Latvia should clearly define its political stance - ''either we support these people and truly attempt to integrate them into society, or we just take them in and allow them to go their separate ways, these are two completely different things''. If Latvia wishes to retain these people and integrate them into society, then they should, first of all, be given more time to prepare instead of just three months. Second, of all, they must receive additional material supports, as well as assistance in finding places to live and language classes, because without this it is practically impossible to work in this country.

Zalcmane also admitted that those asylum seekers who have been admitted into the country outside the EU's relocation program are quite different in their thinking - they are more thankful that the state has granted them asylum, and more frequently opt to remain in Latvia. According to Zalcmane, Latvia has integrated four such families within the past year, all of which arrived outside of the EU's relocation program, and all of these families have several children.