On Tuesday, 23 August, Minister of the Interior Kristaps Eklons briefed the Government on the implementation of the tasks set out in the Cabinet of Ministers' Action Plan for the interior affairs and their impact on the Latgale region.
"The Latgale region, which borders Russia and Belarus, is very important for the overall security of the country due to its geographical location, so it is particularly important to strengthen the internal affairs services in Latgale. I would like to thank the municipalities of Latgale, which are taking the initiative to develop the State Fire and Rescue Service in the region, which are actively involved in providing assistance to Ukrainian civilians, and which are actively thinking about improving civil protection in their municipalities," said Minister of the Interior Kristaps Eklons.
The Government is briefed on the support measures for Ukrainian civilians in the Latgale region. Latgale region municipalities make a significant contribution to the reception of Ukrainian civilians, as they serve as a "buffer zone" for persons crossing the country's external land border and persons who transit through the Republic of Latvia, thus reducing the burden on other municipalities. According to the information provided by the State Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), 12 467 Ukrainian civilians have been accommodated in the country in the period until 23 August 2022, of which 1376 persons have been accommodated in Latgale municipalities. Most Ukrainian civilians have been accommodated with the support of the municipalities of Daugavpils, Rēzekne and Ludza.
A number of measures have been taken to improve the functioning of the civil protection system, enhance rescue capabilities, and improve the material and technical equipment of the SFRS in order to ensure efficient and effective use of resources and increase the efficiency and response capacity of the SFRS.
By 2026, the Recovery Fund plans to build new disaster management centres in Latvia, including in Daugavpils, Līvāni and Viļāni. The state budget also allocated €14.67 million for the construction of new fire stations in Aizpute, Dagda, Iecava, Ilūkste, Kandava, Priekule, Rūjiena and Saulkrasti. This funding also covers the cost of construction.
The Government has supported the initiative of the Ministry of the Interior to assess the possibility of attracting public-private partnership funding for the construction of new disaster management centres in the Latgale region in Preiļi, Ludza, Krāslava, Rezekne, Balvi and Zilupe. In addition, solutions are being sought for the construction of several new buildings.
The implementation of the planned construction intentions will significantly improve the efficiency and responsiveness of the internal affairs services, the working conditions of employees, and the cooperation between institutions, ensuring quality services to citizens.
As foreseen in the Government declaration, the construction and equipping of the Eastern border strip continues in order to complete the development and modernisation of its infrastructure.
The Ministry of the Interior is involved in energy efficiency projects wherever possible. With the support of the European Regional Development Fund and the State budget, measures are planned to improve external structures and heating facilities, including in the Latgale region at the Interior Ministry facilities in Preiļi, Ludza, Rēzekne and Daugavpils.
By 2025, the State Border Guard Kinology Centre in Rēzekne will be expanded and modernised with EU funding from the Integrated Border Management Fund.
The Ministry of the Interior has also taken a number of measures to increase the salaries and improve social guarantees of employees in the internal affairs sector, such as increasing the salary of college cadets from EUR 455 to EUR 588, including at the State Border Guard College in Rezekne; establishing a supplement for border control mobility and strengthening of up to EUR 300 per month for officers who perform daily duties at the state border; increasing salaries for investigators and operational staff; equalising salaries between services; from 1 July 2022, officers will receive an additional payment for performing official duties on public holidays equal to 100% of their hourly rate of pay. Additional funding has also been allocated to increase salaries by an average of 10% from 2023 for officials responsible for implementing measures to strengthen the country's internal security in the context of Russia's military aggression against Ukraine and rising geopolitical risks.
Ministry of the Interior
Communication Department