On Tuesday, 9 January, the Cabinet of Ministers took note of the information report of the Ministry of the Interior “On the way forward on the issue of shelters”, which sets out the next steps for line ministries, municipalities and other stakeholders on the issue of shelters.
In order to implement the adaptation of existing structures for shelters and the construction of new shelters, it is necessary to clarify the regulatory framework, as well as to identify and assess existing structures for shelters on state and municipal properties, public buildings and apartment buildings located in urban areas.
The report requires the Ministry of the Interior, in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy, the State Building Control Office, Riga Technical University, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development, the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Welfare, to prepare by 1 March 2024 guidelines on minimum technical requirements for the suitability of existing premises or groups of premises in buildings for renovation or creation of shelters or places where shelter can be provided (basements, underground car parks, etc.).
The Ministry of the Interior, in cooperation with the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development, is also instructed to assess possible solutions to introduce financial incentive mechanisms for the renovation or establishment of shelters by 1 May 2024.
In turn, by 31 May the Ministry of the Interior is to prepare and submit to the Cabinet of Ministers for consideration amendments to the Civil Protection and Disaster Management Law, and by 30 November this year the Ministry of Economics is to prepare and submit to the Cabinet of Ministers for consideration a draft standard for the construction of shelters.
Following the amendments to the Civil Protection and Disaster Management Law, the responsible authorities will have to identify and assess the possibilities of installing shelters in state and municipal properties, public buildings and apartment buildings located in urban areas.
Rihards Kozlovskis: “Today’s report foresees the drafting of a number of laws and regulations to address the issue of shelters. But it will take time for them to be developed and put into practice. That is why today we decided that, in addition to the development of these regulations, the Ministry of the Interior, in cooperation with other ministries, will, first of all, prepare guidelines by 1 March this year, so that it will be possible to adapt the places where people can take shelter. Second of all, ways will be sought for the State to financially support and encourage the implementation of such initiatives, which will be based on the principle of voluntarism.”
There are currently around 29 000 buildings in Latvia that could be adapted to provide shelter in the event of a threat.
It has already been reported that the issue of shelters has been raised due to the geopolitical situation, in particular in the light of the war in Ukraine provoked by Russia, which requires additional attention to be paid to issues related to the functioning of the civil protection system.
The information report has been prepared in the context of the assignment of the Cabinet of Ministers to the Ministry of the Interior, in cooperation with the Ministry of Defence, the
Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development and other responsible institutions, to prepare and submit to the Cabinet of Ministers an information report on further action on the issue of shelters for consideration.
repared by:
Ministry of the Interior
Communication Department
e-mail: kn@iem.gov.lv