18 October is Anti-Trafficking Day in the European Union.
At a time when the global security situation is changing, various forms of crime are developing, and Latvian citizens continue to seek work abroad, it is particularly important that information about human trafficking, illegal employment, and involvement in the transport of narcotics and illegal migrants reaches as many Latvian citizens as possible.
To educate the public, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, together with its partners, is continuing its information campaign “Don’t Let Yourself Be Used” or “Working Abroad”. Its aim is to draw public attention to the risks that may be encountered when looking for work and easy money abroad, as well as to provide information on how to obtain assistance in emergency situations.
Every year, Latvian citizens become victims of human trafficking abroad. Over the past three years, international organised crime groups have been actively recruiting Latvian nationals on social media, offering them jobs as transporters in European countries such as Hungary, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Slovenia, Poland, and Serbia. The job offer and promised salary are tempting, which is why several dozen Latvian citizens have already agreed to it. Although recruiters promise that the job will involve transporting goods, in reality employees are forced to illegally bring immigrants from Iran, Syria, and other third countries into the European Union.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is increasingly providing assistance to Latvian citizens who have come under the scrutiny of foreign law enforcement agencies for smuggling narcotics. Most often, detainees were unaware of the contents of their luggage.
- With the support of the State Employment Agency and the Latvian Association of Local and Regional Governments, campaign information materials will be available on websites and social media throughout Latvia.
- In cooperation with the Citizenship and Migration Affairs Office of the Ministry of the Interior, JSC Riga International Coach Terminal, JSC Pasažieru vilciens and Media Port Riga, the informative videos will be shown at bus stations, on long-distance train screens, as well as in the customer service areas of the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs and at Riga Airport.
- To reach members of society who do not use social media on a daily basis more effectively, this year we will show the campaign’s digital materials on Latvian Television and broadcast them on Latvijas Radio.
- On 24 October, Riga Airport will host a seminar on cooperation in the aviation sector to prevent human trafficking. The seminar is organised within the framework of the memorandum of cooperation between Riga Airport, the national airline airBaltic, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia, the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Latvia, the association Patvērums Drošā māja and the association Centrs MARTA on the prevention of human trafficking in the aviation sector.