RIGA, Jan 5 (LETA) - The building of a former boarding school in Liepna, Aluksne municipality, will be transformed into a branch of the Accommodation Center for Asylum Seekers, LETA was told at the Office for Citizenship and Migration Affairs (PMLP).

The migration authority plans to use the former boarding school building in Liepna in case the asylum seekers' center in Mucenieki gets filled to capacity. 

Aluksne Regional Council at an extraordinary meeting on Tuesday decided to hand over the building of the boarding school, an auxiliary building and a 0.66 hectares of land to the State Provisions Agency for a four-year period. 

Given the current global geopolitical challenges that might cause the number of asylum seekers to grow, the Latvian authorities have decided to open an accommodation facility for up to 250 asylum seekers in Liepna. The center will be run by PMLP. 

To ensure the facility's successful operation, PMLP will be hiring local residents as drivers, security staff and additional support staff. 

PMLP, which plans to adjust the former school building to the needs of an asylum seekers' center by the end of this year, will use around EUR 700,000 worth of EU funding for the project.