On 18 May, President Edgars Rinkēvičs, during a working visit to Preiļi Municipality, met with the municipal leadership, visited Jānis Eglītis Preiļi State Gymnasium and Preiļi Hospital, and familiarised himself with the work of the “Viktorija” farm.
During the meeting with the leadership of Preiļi Municipality, the President discussed issues related to the municipal financial equalisation model, healthcare and social care, as well as changes to the school network, which represent a significant challenge in light of the municipality’s negative demographic trends.
At Jānis Eglītis Preiļi State Gymnasium, the President familiarised himself with the learning process and discussed current educational issues with teachers and students. “An excellent visit to the Preiļi Gymnasium. Particularly impressive were the demonstrations by the robotics club students of autonomous sumo and line-following robots. In conversations with students and teachers, I realised the key point – even if you ask artificial intelligence for the most brilliant code, nothing will work unless you have a well-thought-out robot design and electronics. Here, everything comes together: technical precision, creativity, patience, and good tactics. It is inspiring to see the enthusiasm and skills of the students and teachers in bringing all this together. Thank you for the inspiration! Latvia greatly needs schools like this in the regions – places where young people can learn in a modern environment, develop their talents and see a future for themselves right here in Latvia,” President Rinkēvičs noted.
The President also familiarised himself with the work of Preiļi Hospital and discussed healthcare issues important to the municipality with its management. “Preiļi Hospital provides a broad range of healthcare services, making them conveniently accessible to residents of neighbouring municipalities as well. Meeting with the staff of Preiļi Hospital today, I conclude that improvements are needed in the healthcare sector, but they must be well-founded, carefully considered and developed in consultation with healthcare professionals,” E. Rinkēvičs stated after the meeting.
During the working visit, the President also visited the “Viktorija” farm and the horse stable “Zirgu Oāze”. “Entrepreneurship is the foundation of regional growth, as it attracts investment, creates jobs and promotes infrastructure development. This is also demonstrated by rural farms such as these, which have been generating new business ideas across several generations, ensuring not only the growth of the farm itself, but of the entire region,” the President emphasised.
As part of the visit, the President also visited the recently restored Preiļi Castle and viewed the exposition of Preiļi History and applied arts museum. At the conclusion of the visit, President Rinkēvičs met with residents of Preiļi Municipality, listening to their views on current local issues and answering questions on matters of public concern, including strengthening regional security in connection with recent drone incidents, the development of wind farms, progress on school reform, the provision of public transportation in the municipality and other topics.
