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ASYLUM SEEKERS RECEPRION CENTRE "MUCENIEKI"

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Information on the asylum seekers reception centre „Mucenieki”

Following international practice, in 1997 work was begun in Latvia to establish asylum seekers reception centre “Mucenieki”. The centre was established in a place in Ropazu municipality called Mucenieki, at the former military base of Soviet army. Building renovation was completed in the end of 1998, and already in December of that year the first asylum seekers were admitted there.
The official opening ceremony of the centre took place no February 17, 1999. This year 7 years have passed since the centre is opened.
At the centre 200 inhabitants can be housed. The main task of the reception centre is to ensure asylum seekers with inhabitation while their asylum applications are examined and decision made, and to promote their adaptation in Latvian society.

Funding of the asylum seeker reception centre “Mucenieki”.

Establishment of the centre was supported by the United States government, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Swedish government. Total expenses of the building renovation and development of external communications networks were something over 840 000 lats. After the centre was established, it is financed from the state budget. Each asylum seeker (except those asylum seekers being themselves enough well-situated) receives a per diem – 1.50 lats for food, hygiene products and other goods of prime necessity.

Information on refugees and asylum seekers housed at the centre.

Asylum seekers and refugees who have stayed at the centre were coming from the following countries: Afghanistan, Congo (Zaire), Morocco, Armenia, Belarus, Slovakia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Pakistan, Angola, Iraq, Russia, Tajikistan and Nigeria. The biggest number of asylum seekers simultaneously staying at the centre has been 27 persons.
While there is a small number of asylum seekers, in order to exploit rooms usefully, the centre cooperates with NGO’s and municipalities which carry out social projects and which are in need of temporary housing of persons.

Organizing daily life at the Reception centre.

It is possible to house 2 asylum seekers at each room. There are also family rooms. Kitchen, laundry, TV room and nursery room is also available for the centre inhabitants. Asylum seekers are obliged to comply with the internal rules of procedure of the centre.
Three times a week adults and children are offered Latvian language training; children can also attend drawing, manual training and math lessons in order to prepare for the school. During these classes centre inhabitants also acquire general information about Latvian history, society and traditions.
Responsibility for maintenance of common-use rooms is shared between all centre inhabitants. In future introduction of industrial training and broadening of the existing library, as well as extension of scope of Latvian language teaching and specific options for spending leisure time would be required.

Asylum seekers reception centre “Mucenieki” and local community of Mucenieki village.

Since the establishment of the centre it has been considered to be very important to stay in positive relations with the authorities of local municipality as well as with the local community itself. During the project implementation local infrastructure (roads, landscape and telecommunications) of Mucenieki was also improved. 63 500 lats were invested in new water treatment facilities; local inhabitants were offered new work places.