Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma has signed a resolution with which the State Chancellery and Interior Ministry will create a high-level inter-institutional work group. Its objective will be the development of legal and practical systems for the resettlement of 250 refugees from Italy and Greece, which has been decided upon during the meeting of EU internal affairs and justice ministers.

The work group will develop the most appropriate system for the integration of those people into society; finding them temporary homes and jobs; providing healthcare and other important matters, as reported by the Prime Minister’s press secretary Aiva Rozenberga.

It is expected that the work group will consist of representatives from interior, culture, welfare, education, healthcare and environment ministries, with the possibility of attracting experts from other ministries.

It is possible that the work group will be formed before mid-August.

BNN had previously reported that the Latvian government has decided to support Interior Ministry’s submitted national position project, providing for the resettlement of 250 refugees as part of the EU Resettlement and Relocation programme.

«Actions of Saeima coalition parties Unity and Union of Greens and Farmers, specifically the intentional refusal from participating in today’s vote regarding a draft that would order the government explain its position on the African refugee matter to the Saeima and society, demonstrates their desire to hide from open discussions of matters of national importance. It also shows that the government has no plan for the refugee matter,» – notes Latvian Regional Alliance.

«Unfortunately, aside from the resettlement of refugees, sources of funding for housing and integration, the government has left out the discussion about other major aspects. These include any sort of security analysis (including the entry of radical elements and terrorists), nothing has been heard of healthcare analysis and the spread of the Ebola virus, which has been recently noted in Africa. It is also hard to understand why no one has mentioned the million Ukrainian refugees, who are mentally closer to us and are located nearby,» – notes the party.

«The reasons behind secrecy in the refugee matter and the review of this matter in the Cabinet of Ministers behind closed doors. This and many other factors make us cautious and make us ask questions: Is this another Citadele case? Why does the government, which verbally stands in favour of openness and transparency when reviewing matters of national importance, reviews matters of national importance behind closed doors?» – asks LRA.

Ref: 102.109.109.5678