Latvian government will financially support residents recovering from recent thunderstorm

The Ministry of Environment Protection and Regional Development (VARAM) reports that on Thursday, the 10th of August, the Cabinet of Ministers agreed on the distribution of finances to support residents after the thunderstorm.
Support will be available to finance roof and window repairs – for private homes and apartment buildings. Municipal support will be allowed to be used as temporary solutions for house maintenance and reinforcement and for house restoration.

Residents are invited to contact their municipal administration to receive support.

These support activities are planned to be financed from the support mechanism Finances for Emergencies.
Private homes will have access to a single-time benefit of up to EUR 3 000 under the condition

that the amount of support does not exceed EUR 20 per 1 m2 of area to be restored.

For apartment homes it is planned to provide a single-time benefit that does not exceed EUR 20 per 1 m2 of area to be restored.
VARAM also provides a duty for municipalities to provide additional containers to collect construction waste, as well as cover costs related to collection and storage of hazardous waste.
In order to ensure practical provision of support for housing restoration, municipal administrations have to make a decision on the provision of a single-time benefit in a crisis situation in accordance with the government’s established benefit amount and conditions.
On Thursday the government approved amendments from the Ministry of Finance to the government’s Procedures for Making Changes to the Appropriation Specified in the Annual State Budget Law.
From now on the state will be able to provide assistance to cover up to 90% of the expenditure on storm damage in municipalities.
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