On 24 July, President Edgars Rinkēvičs met at the Riga Castle with the Chair of the Saeima Defence, Internal Affairs and Corruption Prevention Committee, Raimonds Bergmanis, and the Chair of the National Security Committee, Ainars Latkovskis.
During the meeting, the current situation on Latvia’s eastern border was discussed, with particular emphasis on the importance of cooperation between the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Defence in ensuring effective deterrence against threats posed by Russia and Belarus.
The meeting also addressed the draft law on the Development of Counter-Mobility Infrastructure, which was recently approved by the Cabinet of Ministers and submitted to the Saeima for consideration during the autumn session.
President of Latvia and the Chairs of both parliamentary committees agreed on the importance of maintaining dialogue with all relevant stakeholders, especially with the leaders and residents of border municipalities, in order to explain the planned border reinforcement measures and their potential impact on private property. “It is essential that the Ministry of Defence and the National Armed Forces continue regular communication with the public to prevent the spread of any possible disinformation,” emphasised President Rinkēvičs.
President of Latvia stated that he plans to visit the eastern border of the country in the second half of August to assess, on site, the progress made in the development of border infrastructure and the implementation of technological solutions, as well as the military reinforcement of the border.
The meeting also focused on the drafting of next year’s national budget, especially regarding the necessary funding for national defence and security. “Budget discussions must take into account the essential investments not only in combat capabilities and infrastructure, but also in attracting, developing, and ensuring the long-term advancement of motivated and professional personnel within the National Armed Forces, the State Border Guard, other internal affairs and national security institutions,” said President Rinkēvičs. A key topic of the discussion was the potential changes to the service pension system, with emphasis placed on avoiding any negative impact from reforms on efforts to strengthen both internal and external security.
