Where did the deported pensioner Grigory disappear to? 0 24

It seemed as if the man had simply vanished: according to the Border Guard, he never crossed the border.

Only on Thursday did it become known that Grigory is in Daugavpils — in the Center for the Accommodation of Detained Illegal Foreigners. This is a closed area where, it turns out, people awaiting departure from the country are also placed.

After losing his residence permit in 2023, Grigory lost his right to a pension, registration of residence, and any assistance from the municipality. All this time he lived solely thanks to the support of caring individuals. Grigory worked in Latvia for decades. He did not pass the state language exam, has no relatives in Latvia, and therefore could not obtain a temporary residence permit. He decided to leave for Russia, a country he had never been to. He came to Latvia from Ukraine. He simply took Russian citizenship at that time.

On October 2, he was taken from Jelgava. Representatives of the receiving party were already waiting in Russia to assist with documents and the restoration of his pension. But Grigory did not arrive. As Jelgava City Council member Andrey Pagar, who participated in both helping Grigory and searching for him, explained, it has only now become clear that the elderly man is being held in the Daugavpils center.

The problem is that the Center does not provide information to third parties — only to relatives, of whom the man has none. Therefore, no one knew where he was and when he would be taken to the border.

It is now known that Grigory is to be taken out through the checkpoint near Pskov. There, he will be met, provided with housing, and assisted in restoring his documents and arranging his pension.

"But I have one question left," says Pagar. "Why, even at the stage of deportation, can't the Center or the Office of Citizenship and Migration directly contact the receiving party to spare the elderly man unnecessary suffering?"

Apparently, it is not allowed by instructions.