Latvia is obliged to accept refugees or pay 20,000 for each unaccepted migrant: Riga does not give in

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The Council of the European Union (EU) has approved a preliminary agreement on the solidarity mechanism within the Migration and Asylum Pact. What does this mean for Latvia?

According to preliminary calculations (based on population and GDP), Latvia's share in the overall European distribution is about 0.3–0.4% of the total "pool of solidarity." In 2026, the total EU pool will consist of 21,000 relocations, which would mean Latvia accepting approximately 60–80 people per year.

Of course, it is possible not to accept them, but one must remember the cost of refusal. If Latvia decides not to accept refugees, it will have to pay a financial compensation of 20,000 euros for each unaccepted person (a total of about 1.2–1.6 million euros per year).

However, there is a third way. Instead of accepting people or making direct cash payments, Latvia plans to provide technical assistance — sending border guards, equipment, and experts to EU countries under the greatest migration pressure.

Exemptions from participation in this mechanism have been achieved by Poland, and Estonia has received certain concessions as well. In this regard, a number of Latvian nationalists have made public statements demanding that the Latvian Ministry of the Interior seek similar conditions for the country.

It should be noted that in December 2025, Latvia was officially recognized as one of the 12 EU countries under "migration pressure" (due to the situation at the border with Belarus). Thanks to this status, Latvia has again appealed to the European Commission for an exemption from the obligations to accept migrants or pay contributions in 2026.

As stated by the Latvian Minister of the Interior, Rihards Kozlovskis ("New Unity"), the Ministry of the Interior will continue dialogue on applying an exemption for Latvia within the framework of the solidarity mechanism, arguing that Latvia is already making a significant contribution to the overall security of the EU by protecting the external borders of the EU and NATO from hybrid attacks by the authorities of Russia and Belarus, investing significant resources in border arrangements, as well as providing support to the residents of Ukraine.

Latvia will not participate in the relocation of persons, emphasizes the Ministry of the Interior. So, is this about agreeing to pay 20,000 euros for each rejected migrant?

Time for disputes is running out — the main rules of the Migration and Asylum Pact will come into force and become mandatory for application on June 12, 2026.