On 10 July, during a working visit to Rēzekne, President Edgars Rinkēvičs met with the city council leadership, representatives of the Rēzekne and Latgale Special Economic Zones, and visited the Eastern Latvia Creative Services Centre “Zeimuļs”, where he had a meeting with members of the Rēzekne City Youth Council. The President familiarized himself with the operations of the “KUUP” coffee roastery, the “Kabata” shop featuring products by entrepreneurs and designers from Latgale, and visited the exhibition centre “Brīvvalsts dārgumu nams”.
During the meeting with the city council leadership, discussions focused on current rigional issues, civil protection, the municipal budget, the business environment, and the region’s needs in the areas of workforce availability, housing and education programmes.
“It is a great pleasure to conclude my series of visits to all of Latvia’s municipalities here in Latgale, and specifically in Rēzekne. Here, I have heard a clear determination from local residents, entrepreneurs and the municipality alike to build and develop a strong city and a strong country. At the same time, I understand the concerns caused by various security threats, including those posed by drones. Unfortunately, such risks cannot be eliminated entirely. Nevertheless, I am confident that the Latvian government and the responsible authorities will do everything possible to reduce security risks. It is also important to complete the construction of the border, equip it with modern technological solutions, and further strengthen the State Border Guard through adequate funding and human resources,” emphasised President Rinkēvičs.
In discussions with representatives of the Rēzekne and Latgale Special Economic Zones and regional entrepreneurs, participants addressed workforce availability, the challenges of attracting investment to the Latgale region, which is situated on the European Union’s eastern border, as well as issues relating to security and civil protection.
“Entrepreneurs in Rēzekne and across Latgale are particularly affected by the consequences of Russia’s war against Ukraine, including drone incidents. This is reflected in changes to supply chains, higher production costs and, for some businesses, a decline in demand. Despite these challenges, I highly value the ability of entrepreneurs to adapt to changing circumstances. Meetings with representatives of the special economic zones and regional businesses are essential for hearing first-hand, experience-based views on which support instruments they already use and value, while also identifying areas where the state could further improve its support. We welcome every entrepreneur who chooses to invest, expand production and create new jobs in Latgale. Their perspective helps strengthen the business environment by highlighting solutions in the areas of workforce availability, housing and education,” the President said after the meeting.
During his meeting with representatives of the Rēzekne City Youth Council, E. Rinkēvičs discussed the experiences and achievements during the year in which Rēzekne holds the title of Latvia’s Youth capital, current youth policy issues, and opportunities for meaningful engagement in democratic processes, including the development of local communities.
As part of the visit, the President attended and addressed the graduation ceremony of the State Border Guard College.
