President: Latvia cannot admit additional refugees before security stepped up

Latvia cannot commit to take in additional refugees before Europe's external borders are better secured and a mechanism created for sending back migrants not eligible to refugee status, Latvian president Raimonds Vejonis said on Saturday.

Speaking after a meeting of the National Security Council which was called in the wake of a series of deadly terror attacks that hit Paris last night, the Latvian president said that Europe must bolster its external borders, clamp down on traffickers smuggling migrants across borders and create an effective mechanism for deportation of those migrants that do not qualify for refugee status.

"Before this has been done, Latvia is not ready to take new commitments regarding the relocation of refugees," Vejonis said.

"Latvia and I personally categorically condemn the series of acts of terror in France. There is no justification for such acts," the Latvian president said, adding that such events are yet another reminded of the necessity to combat extremism and terrorism, which is the greatest challenge of today's world.

The Latvian president also noted that these are not the first acts of terror in Europe. "We must therefore be alert, but we must not yield to panic or disinformation," Vejonis said.

Confirming an earlier assessment by the security police, the president said that the level of terror threats in Latvia had not changed and remained low.

The country's security services have been on high alert to avert any potential terror threats. "We are controlling the situation in the country," the president said, adding that Latvia is also ready to provide support to France if needed.

At least 128 people were killed and about 200 wounded in a series of explosions and shootings staged by suspected Islamic militants at various locations in Paris on Friday night. Endit