On 11-12 July 2022, at a meeting of EU Justice and Interior Ministers in Prague, Czech Republic, on the security implications of the war in Ukraine, Minister for the Interior Kristaps Eklons stressed the need to fight propaganda and disinformation, as well as to provide targeted support to Ukraine and Moldova. The Minister also discussed with Ana Revenco, Minister for the Interior of Moldova, the possibility of improving cooperation between the internal affairs services of Latvia and Moldova.
Minister for the Interior Kristaps Eklons, in the context of Russia’s expanded war in Ukraine, stressed the need to fight propaganda and disinformation, to strengthen the resilience of Member States in order to minimise the potential consequences of cyber-attacks. At the same time, preventive measures are needed to reduce the risks of trafficking in human beings, to prevent firearms smuggling from becoming a threat, as well as to prevent sanctions from being violated or circumvented. The Minister also pointed out the need for a comprehensive and regularly updated inventory of the needs of law enforcement authorities in Ukraine and Moldova, which will contribute to ensuring that the support provided to both countries is targeted and relevant to their needs.
At the meeting of EU Justice and Interior Ministers, Interior Minister K. Eklons also stressed the importance of the development of EU border, migration and security information systems in strengthening security, implementing more effective checks at the EU’s external borders and preventing and combating illegal migration. Russia’s war in Ukraine has further increased the importance of this project.
Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has triggered Europe’s biggest migration crisis since the Second World War, and security threats of all kinds, including the instrumentalization of targeted migration and hybrid threats, persist, threatening the unity and integrity of the EU and posing serious challenges in the area of migration. Taking this into account, the Minister for the Interior called on the meeting to examine possible instruments for Member States to prevent further increases in migration pressures along the various migration routes.
Furthermore, K. Eklons stressed that children are the most vulnerable part of society and that it is therefore the responsibility of Member States to do their utmost to protect children from anything illegal, in particular sexual abuse. “Given the increase in sexual violence against children, especially on the internet, the joint efforts of Member States in this area need to be strengthened. The voluntary action of online service providers has not been sufficient, so the next logical step would be to oblige them to disclose child sexual abuse material, remove content depicting child sexual abuse and report their findings. Service providers should also address the perpetrator’s attempts to establish an emotional bond with children online (so-called grooming) and report suspicious cases to law enforcement authorities.”
During his visit to Prague, K. Eklons discussed with the Minister for the Interior of Moldova, Ana Revenco, the possibility of signing a Memorandum of Understanding in the near future in order to improve cooperation between the internal affairs services of Latvia and Moldova. The Moldovan Ministry for the Interior has also prepared a proposal to establish an EU Internal Security and Border Management Support Centre, inviting Latvia to actively participate in the work of the Centre and to delegate experts. “The Moldovan side is interested in learning from Latvia’s experience in order to better prepare for EU membership and has indicated its readiness to contribute to the EU’s common security. Moldova would also be particularly interested in the involvement of Latvian State Police experts, as there is a strong interest in investigating cybercrime and drug crimes,” emphasized K. Eklons.
Zane Plone,
Advisor to the Minister for the Interior on
Communication Issues
Phone: +37128627003
E-mail address: zane.plone@iem.gov.lv