RIGA, June 20 (LETA) - The Saeima Budget and Finance (Taxation) Committee on Monday approved an additional allocation of EUR 40,381,272 from contingency funds to municipalities providing support to Ukrainian war refugees.

The municipalities need the money to finance accommodation, food, social support and education provided to the refugees. At the same time, it was decided that the state will continue to cover the municipalities' actual costs until July 1, 2022. Previously, this assistance was supposed to end on April 30, 2022. 

The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Government will thus receive up to EUR 53.4 million in total to cover the expenses local governments have incurred by providing assistance to the Ukrainian refugees.

Previously, the government agreed at an extraordinary session to continue providing support to the Ukrainian refugees until December 31, 2022.

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, around 32,000 Ukrainian civilians have been registered in Latvia, and nearly 26,000 refugees have been issued residence documents with the right to employment, according to information provided by the Ministry of the Interior.