POLICY REPORT ON IMMIGRATION AND ASYLUM IN LATVIA ...

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14 we are confident that the majority of the citizens of Latvia share our opinion," 19 commented Saeima member, Dzintars Rasnačs. While there were debates in Saeima about the Amendments, a protest was held in front of the Saeima building against adoption of the Amendments attended by almost a hundred of representatives of "Tēvzemei and Brīvībai/LNNK" and national association "Visu Latvijai!". 20 Taking into account the resistance of "Zaļo and zemnieku savienība" to put the Amendments to the Immigration Law to a referendum, association "Tēvzemei and Brīvībai/LNNK" and political party "Pilsoniskā savienība" refused from the idea to propose a referendum for making a decision in this matter and decided to ask the President of the State to pass the Draft law for the second review by the Saeima. 21 One of the security institutions of Latvia: the Constitution Protection Bureau 22 expressed the view that, by introducing the legal rules of the Amendments, additional mechanisms would be created for citizens of countries outside the EU, including special service officers who might profess to be entrepreneurs, to enter Latvia. 23 Opponents of the Amendments in Saeima invited the President of the State, Valdis Zatlers, not to announce the disputed Draft law and to pass it to the Saeima for the second review. A letter with a call not to proclaim the Amendments was signed by representatives of the Saeima group of the government consisting political parties and associations thereof. On 10 March 2010, the Employers' Confederation of Latvia expressed their support to the Amendments by indicating that establishing of new companies or investments in existing companies are important, particularly during limited funds available for operation and development of companies. The Confederation noted that an amount of investment should focus on achieving real economic outcomes to justify the set goal, needs of the labour market and demographic challenges should be studied. General Director of the Employers' 19 Paparde I., Investīcijas dos uzturēšanās atļauju (Investment will Give a Residence Permit).// http://zinas.nra.lv/Latvia/policy/17789-investicijas-dos-uzturesanas-atlauju.htm - [see: 05.03.2010] 20 Egle I., Pikets pie Saeimas pret Imigrācijas likuma grozījumiem: "Latvija vārti bandītiem uz Eiropu" (Protest at the Saeima Building Against the Amendments to the Immigration Law: "Latvia – the Gate for Racketeers to Europe)// http://www.diena.lv/lat/politics/hot/pikets-pie-saeimas-Latvia-varti-banditiem-uz-eiropu - [see: 04.03.2010] 21 Zālīte I., ZZS aptur referenduma ideju; Imigrācijas likuma grozījumu liktenis Zatlera ziņā (ZZS Halts the Idea on Referendum; Destiny of the Amendments to the Immigration Law is in Zalters’ Hands).//http://www.diena.lv/lat/politics/hot/zzs-aptur-referenduma-ideju-imigracijas-lawa-grozijumu-likteniszatlera-zina – [see: 08.03.2010] 22 Main tasks of the Constitution Protection Bureau are intelligence, protection of the state secret as well as information classified by the European Union and NATO. The Bureau obtains information which is delivered to responsible officials for making decisions that correspond with the state interests the best. The Bureau does not investigate crime. 23 Var tikt radīti papildu mehānismi spiegu iekļūšanai Latvijā (Additional Mechanisms for Entry of Spies to Latvia may be Created).// http://www.apollo.lv/portal/news/articles/197032 - [see: 12.03.2010]
15 Confederation of Latvia, Elīna Egle, commented: "Concern of each inhabitant regarding making the immigration policy easier for foreign investors, their potential misuse can be prevented by developing an appropriate legal regulation for improving the residence permit system" 24 . Before making a decision on proclaiming the Amendments, the President of the State, Valdis Zatlers, familiarised himself with the opinion provided by the security institutions. The opinion provided that the specified changes to the Law might cause new risks of personas non grata to Latvia and attracting of funds of unknown origin. It is one of the reasons why the President of the State assigned the said Amendments to Saeima for the second review, on 12 March 2010. He requested Saeima to assess the impact of the new regulation on the revenues and expenditures of the state budget and, if necessary, to consider a possibility to decide on additional state budget funding to competent institutions related to enforcement of the Immigration Law. Also, the President indicated that one must ascertain, prior to proclaiming the Amendments, whether the state security institutions have the required resources to ensure proper examinations if a potential number of residence permits increases. 25 Debate about the Amendments in the Saeima continued and, in order to invite an independent consultant, the responsible Committee of Defence, Internal Affairs and Corruption Prevention of the Saeima organised a meeting with an internationally recognised consultant in the matters of attraction of investments by using immigration policy, Christian Kalin who represents Swiss company Henlay&Partners. 26 The above-mentioned consultant criticized the planned changes in the Law by indicating that such changes would be too restrictive. However, he also emphasised that, if not otherwise, the country can be made attractive for its procedures of residence permits. 27 It must be emphasised that the survey shows that a half or 52% of interviewed economically active inhabitants of Latvia generally support an opportunity for third-country 24 Rutule E., LDDK un NVS investoru aizstāvji iestājas par grozījumiem Imigrācijas likumā (LDDK and Representatives of Investors from the CIS Support the Amendments to the Immigration Law).// http://www.dina.lv/lat/business/hotnews/lddk-un-nvs-investoru-aizstavji-iestajas-par-grozijumiem-imigracijaslawa - [10.03.2010] 25 Hofmanis R., Drošības iestādes brīdina Zatleru (Zatlers Warned by Security Institutions).// http://zinas.nra.lv/Latvia/policy/18477-drosibas-iestades-bridina-zatleru.htm - [15.03.2010] 26 Paparde I., Saeimā iztaujās Šveices ekspertu par Imigrācijas likumu (Expert from Switzerland Interviewed by Saeima about the Immigration Law).// http://zinas.nra.lv/Latvia/policy/19427-saeima-iztaujas-sveices-ekspertupar-imigracijas-lawu.htm – [see: 26.03.2010] 27 Rutule E., Konsultants: Latviju investorien pievilcīgāku var padarīt, arī atvieglojot procedūru (Latvia Can Become More Attractive for Investors also Through Faciliated Procedure).// http://www.diena.lv/lat/business/expert/expertopinion/konsultants-latviju-investoriem-pievilcigaku-var-padaritari-atvieglojot-proceduru - [see: 06.04.2010]
Page 1 and 2: POLICY REPORT ON IMMIGRATION AND AS
Page 3 and 4: 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMA
Page 5 and 6: 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY According to Cl
Page 7 and 8: 7 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1. Methodology
Page 9 and 10: 9 2. POLITICAL AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK
Page 11 and 12: 11 3. POLITICAL, LEGAL AND INSTITUT
Page 13: 13 illegal immigrants, as well as b
Page 17 and 18: 17 Having analysed the amount of fu
Page 19 and 20: 19 4. LEGAL IMMIGRATION AND INTEGRA
Page 21 and 22: 21 consular mission of a member sta
Page 23 and 24: 23 request of a residence permit if
Page 25 and 26: 25 opportunity for non-citizens of
Page 27 and 28: 27 Affairs and the Latvian Language
Page 29 and 30: 29 country nationals to whom the st
Page 31 and 32: 31 6) the regulatory enactment expa
Page 33 and 34: 33 of the Latvian and Belarus borde
Page 35 and 36: 35 A minor third-country national o
Page 37 and 38: 37 In 2010, the Ministry of Justice
Page 39 and 40: 39 6) Latvian Language Agency imple
Page 41 and 42: 41 On 10 March 2010, Cabinet Regula
Page 43 and 44: 43 cancel a visa of third-country n
Page 45 and 46: 45 Changes in other laws are also p
Page 47 and 48: 47 enforcement institutions of the
Page 49 and 50: 49 In 2010, the Office of Citizensh
Page 51 and 52: 51 In 2007-2009, a network of human
Page 53 and 54: 53 Tasks at Sea by the Use of Techn
Page 55 and 56: 55 Besides, by using the External B
Page 57 and 58: 57 European Union and Schengen Agre
Page 59 and 60: 59 of the project and within the fr
Page 61 and 62: 61 Immigration Law for submission t
Page 63 and 64: 63 Alternative Status or Temporary
Page 65 and 66:
65 voluntary participation, Latvia
Page 67 and 68:
67 of asylum seekers and improve th
Page 69 and 70:
69 provisions of the Agreement, the
Page 71 and 72:
71 10. IMPLEMENTATION OF EUROPEAN U
Page 73 and 74:
73 The concept developed by the Min
Page 75 and 76:
75 Cabinet of Ministers Regulation
Page 77 and 78:
77 Fight against Terrorism, Organiz
Page 79 and 80:
79 ‣ Cabinet of Ministers Regulat
Page 81 and 82:
81 ‣ Executive summary to Cabinet
Page 83 and 84:
83 Literature: ‣ Apstiprina jaunu
Page 85 and 86:
85 ‣ Interesējas par darbaspēka
Page 87 and 88:
87 http://www.iem.gov.lv/lat/aktual
Page 89 and 90:
89 ANNEX OF THE EUROPEAN PACT ON IM
Page 91 and 92:
91 indicating profession, preferabl
Page 93 and 94:
93 Programme 2008, and it supported
Page 95 and 96:
95 organizing next informative even
Page 97 and 98:
97 related to integration of immigr
Page 99 and 100:
99 medical, psychological, material
Page 101 and 102:
101 The State Border Guard as the r
Page 103 and 104:
103 4(j) more effective action agai
Page 105 and 106:
105 readmission agreements in which
Page 107 and 108:
107 7.1 European Pact on Immigratio
Page 109 and 110:
109 BORDER CONTROL 8 Control and su
Page 111 and 112:
111 Please describe (planned) devel
Page 113 and 114:
113 Guard expressed its readiness t
Page 115 and 116:
115 The State Border Guard on regul
Page 117 and 118:
117 Also in 2010, Latvia was not in
Page 119 and 120:
119 aimed to strengthen the institu
Page 121 and 122:
121 11(h) how diaspora groups may b
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POLICY REPORT ON IMMIGRATION AND ASYLUM IN LATVIA ...

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