RIGA, Sept 2 (LETA) - Some of the asylum seekers have been placed in the Interior Ministry's premises in Jurmala, LETA learned from the Citizenship and Migration Affairs Board (PMLP).

As many as 46 Belarusian and Afghan citizens have been placed in the ministry's premises in Dzintari. This has been done in order to ensure capacity in asylum seekers' center in Mucenieki.

By September 1, PMLP has granted refugee status to 46 people and the status of alternative protection to 19 persons, mostly Belarusian ctizens. Applications of 102 asylum seekers are still pending.

As reported, the number of asylum seekers in Mucenieki center rose steeply after illegal migrants, mostly from Iraq, started attempts to cross the Latvian- Belarusian border.

Before these events, a number of Belarusian citizens sought asylum in Latvia, fleeing from the repressions of the regime in their own country.