POLICY REPORT ON IMMIGRATION AND ASYLUM IN LATVIA ...

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Immigration Law for submission thereof to the Stat Chancellery. The said amendment to the
Law would provide the procedure for motivation of refusing a visa as well as appeal against
refusal. 140
On 26 August 2010, the meeting of the State Secretaries announced a draft order which
provides the appointment of the Ministry of Interior as the responsible institution for
development of the European border surveillance system (EUROSUR). The purpose of this
system is to restrict the number of third-country nationals who travel illegally in the territory of
the European Union, to reduce the number of illegal immigrants who die when trying to cross
the sea borders of the European Union, as well as to increase the internal security in the
European Union by improving the prevention of cross-border crime. Simultaneously, the draft
order provides the task of the Ministrer of Interior to develop and to approve a plan for
introduction of the European border surveillance system. It is planned to appoint the Ministry
of Defence and the Ministry of Traffic as the responsible institutions in the project
implementation.
European border surveillance system is focused on the control of the external southern
and eastern borders of the European Union both on land and at sea, by envisaging the common
technical framework in order to improve the exchange of information among institutions of the
Member State and to promote the use of advanced technologies in border control and
monitoring. Financial support from the European Border Fund is available for the
implementation of activities.
Within the framework of the project and by using the funds of the European External
Border Fund, for instance, improvement of the current monitoring and surveillance system as
well as modernization of the state border monitoring systems is planned.
Through participation in the implementation of the project of the European border
surveillance system, the State Border Guard will become a part of the common European
Border Surveillance System, and through modernization will increase the operational planning
and response abilities on the external borders of the Republic of Latvia, in order to prevent
illegal crossing of the borders and to combat cross-border crime more efficiently. 141
140 Information provided by officials of the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs.
141 Eiropas robežu novērošanas sistēmas ieviešanu koordinēs Iekšlietu ministrija (The Ministry of Interior Will
Coordinate the Introduction of the European Border Surveillance System).//
http://www.iem.gov.lv/lat/aktualitates/informacija_medijiem/doc=18907 - [see: 25.11.2010]