Ukrainians in Sigulda municipality name housing as their main concern - survey

RIGA - Ukrainian war refugees that are currently living in the central Latvian municipality of Sigulda are mostly concerned about housing, shows a survey conducted by the municipality's social service. 

The municipality surveyed the Ukrainian civilians in order to find out their needs, which would allow for a more rational use of state and municipal financial assistance. 

Each family was interviewed for more than two hours in the survey. 

According to the Sigulda municipality, the Ukrainians are still worrying about housing as the number of properties for rent is not high in the area and not all of them are affordable to the Ukrainians.

If the more than 418 Ukrainians interviewed in the survey, 110 people were employed, while the others indicated that they could not work as some had to look after small children, while others were either disabled or too old to work. There were also some respondents who were planning to return to Ukraine shortly. 

Around half of the respondents said that they and their families will return to Ukraine or will travel to other European countries as soon as it becomes possible, while others did not rule out the possibility to settle down permanently in Sigulda.

At present there are over 450 Ukrainian war refugees living in the Sigulda municipality.