From 2 January, the Riga Support Centre for Ukrainians will be located at 9 Pāles Street
From 2 January 2024, the Riga Support Centre for Ukrainians will be located at 9 Pāles iela, Jugla. Ukrainian civilians in Riga will continue to be able to receive essential state and municipal services in one place.
In order to continue to provide Ukrainian civilians with all the support they need in a successful and high-quality manner, while at the same time reducing the maintenance costs of the Riga Support Centre, it has been decided to relocate the Centre from 4 Amatu Street to 9 Pāles Street.
The Riga Support Centre will continue to provide Ukrainian residents with the opportunity to apply for and receive residence permits, register their place of residence in Riga, obtain personal ID codes, personalise public transport tickets, register their children in Riga educational institutions, receive social assistance and find temporary accommodation in Riga or elsewhere in Latvia. The State Employment Agency will not continue to operate at 9 Pāles iela.
Similarly, non-governmental organisations that have been providing advice and assistance that cannot be provided by the state and municipalities since 24 February 2022 will move from 4 Amatu Street to the new location of the Centre at 9 Pāles Street. Several NGOs will continue their work at Pāles iela 9.
Mayor of Riga Vilnis Ķirsis on the relocation of the centre to Pāles Street: "Riga will continue to support Ukraine and its people as long as it is necessary. We are approaching the second anniversary of Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine. We all wish for an early Ukrainian victory, but we must make sure that the Ukrainian civilians who have taken refuge in Riga can not only survive, but also live. That is why the support provided by Riga is also changing, because it is not enough to provide only primary assistance - temporary accommodation and social benefits. People need to be helped to build an independent life in Riga, and the basis for this is good Latvian language skills, respect for Latvian culture and society, and a stable job. That is why, by moving the centre to Pāles Street, we will think about new trainings and activities that will facilitate the integration of Ukrainians in Latvia."
The former school premises are suitable for the functions of the Riga Support Centre, as the classrooms can provide both services and various types of training, including Latvian language courses. The Riga Support Centre will also continue to provide job fairs for employers in Riga and Ukrainian civilians looking for work.
Ukrainian civilians should note that from 2 January they will no longer have access to free parking spaces at 1 Kalku Street. The Support Centre at 9 Pāles Street is easily accessible by public transport and will have a parking space available for the duration of the visit.
The Riga Support Centre for Ukrainian Civilians started its work on 7 March 2022 at the Congress House, then moved to 1 Kalku Street, and from 4 September 2022 it has been operating at 4 Amatu Street.
As of 24 February 2022, 24 501 Ukrainian civilians have been registered in Riga, of whom 19 935 are currently living in Riga.
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