A house for Ukrainian refugees has appeared in the Latvian capital Riga, where they will be able to spend the first 120 days of their stay in Latvia until they find other accommodation, LSM.lv reports, UNN writes.
Details
The building is located at 49 Unijas Street in Riga.
The first tenants have already moved in, having just arrived from Ukraine and needing a place to stay for the time being.
"Initially, it was a dormitory-like building, and it was planned to be alienated. But we realized that this is really a place that can be called a port of peace for the people of Ukraine. Where people can recover from the war. And prepare for the next steps in their lives. There is a fence on all sides and a very green area," said Riga City Council representative Edis Pelšs.
It can accommodate up to 125 people and stay for 120 days.
Rooms on two floors of the building have been renovated and furnished. There is a shared kitchen with electric stoves and washing machines. There are also dishes. However, the corridors and outside of the building have not been renovated.
"We have achieved a lot with a minimum of resources. This building, of course, needs to be put in order visually. But everything will continue to develop. And I can say a big thank you to the artists who voluntarily created the paintings on the walls of the stairwell," said Pelsch.
According to the head of the Center for Support of Ukrainian Residents, Peteris Grube, Ukrainian refugees arrive in Riga every day: "Quite a lot, the flow is quite stable. I don't have any statistics on how many new arrivals there are, because it changes. People come from other cities, people come from other countries. But about 240 people come through our center at 9 Pales Street per day, and about 630 people use the first accommodation in Riga per month.
For those who do not get a place in this building, the self-government will reportedly buy an external service and find a place for temporary housing.