On 27 June, the Cabinet of Ministers (CoM) took note of the information report of the Ministry of the Interior “On the progress of the construction of permanent infrastructure on the external land border of the country and the financing required for this purpose”, which was prepared to inform the Government on the progress of the construction of permanent infrastructure on the external land border of the country, as well as the financing required for the continuation of the construction.
The CoM also issued an Order “On reallocation of an appropriation from the budget line “74th Annual State Budget to be reallocated in the process of implementation”, programme 18.00.00 “Funding for measures to strengthen State security”, thus supporting the reallocation of an appropriation of EUR 1 412 195 to ensure the construction of the infrastructure for the external land border, as well as the expropriation of land units and the registration of property rights in the Land Register, within the framework of the priority measure “Establishing infrastructure on the State border” related to State security.
Currently, in Phase I, construction works are actively underway in the area of the construction of the external land border infrastructure along the Latvian-Belarusian border. The infrastructure is at a high stage of completion - 63,70 km of fencing has been built, or 75% of the planned amount. A railway crossing has also been built – a tunnel. The fence in this phase is planned to be completed by autumn 2023, and all infrastructure – by the end of 2023.
In Phase II, construction work has started on two of the seven works. The fence axis has been marked out in the field to speed up the fence construction process. The process of valuation, alienation and deforestation of the land units is also continuing, with the property rights being registered in the Land Register in the name of the State in the person of the Ministry of the Interior. The deforestation process in Phase II has been fully completed for 14,85 km and the acceptance of deforestation works for another 15,62 km is ongoing. The estimated completion date for Phase II works is the end of 2024, while the construction of the fence is planned to be completed as soon as possible.
In Phase III, design and engineering studies are underway for the 16,7 km section along the Daugava. The construction of six communication towers and access roads along the Daugava is to be financed from European Union funds. A call for tenders has also been launched for the construction of a patrol lane along the Daugava. By the end of July this year, it is planned to receive the bids, evaluate them and prepare the draft Cabinet of Ministers’ decisions necessary for reallocating the funding. The necessary funding for the construction is planned in the state budget programme 18.00.00 “Funding for measures to strengthen State security”.
The technical specification for Phase IV of the border infrastructure construction at the section near Lake Riču - about 5 km long - is under preparation.
In order to ensure the construction of the infrastructure necessary for the protection of the external land border of the State in accordance with the Law on Construction of the External Land Border Infrastructure, VAS “Valsts nekustamie īpašumi” (VNĪ) manages, implements and supervises all construction works of the infrastructure necessary for the protection of the external land border (excluding technological infrastructure), as well as conducts procurement and concludes procurement contracts for the construction of the infrastructure necessary for the protection of the external land border.
Also, in compliance with the statutory delegation to VNĪ to construct the external land border infrastructure, the SEA has issued an authorization to VNĪ in the Construction Information System BIS and transferred all documentation at its disposal to ensure the completion of the Latvian–Russian border infrastructure construction. The priority in this area is now to commission and continue or complete the construction of the constructed infrastructure.
Prepared by:
Ministry of the Interior
Communication Department
E-mail: kn@iem.gov.lv