Residents’ worry about the security situation in the country can be explained with lacking awareness about the situation and about Latvia’s defensive capabilities, said Prime Minister Evika Siliņa in an interview to Latvijas Radio.
She did say that she previously asked National Armed Forces Commander Leonīds Kalniņš to reach out and address regional press and explain the tasks being performed along the border in order to calm residents and dispel their ignorance. “It’s clear that not everyone reads Twitter or press-releases. This is why it is very important to use regional media to tell residents about our activities on the border and why we’re doing it,” said the PM.
She said that Latvia continues reinforcing its defensive capabilities. This can be seen now and will remain seen in the future.
The politician explained that the statement released by NBS a couple of days ago, that Latvian residents have no reason to worry, is the reaction to Kremlin’s propaganda intended to intimidate Baltic and NATO countries.
The PM added that Latvia is doing all it can when it comes to defence, adding that she is proud of Latvia’s army. “We have no reason to go at ourselves for not doing enough,” said the PM.
As previously reported, this week the Latvian government approved the eastern border’s military reinforcement and anti-mobility plan, which will cost the budget EUR 303 million, as LETA was informed by the Ministry of Defence.
The military reinforcement of the eastern border and the anti-mobility plan is part of the Baltic Defence Line, which continues along the entire Russian and Belarusian border and will require the creation of NBS support locations along its entire length. This includes defensive positions for troops and reinforced positions, as well as various obstacles, anti-tank moats, munitions and mine warehouses and sensors.
In the next five years, it is planned to invest into reinforcement of the border EUR 303 million. The first stages of construction and reinforcement work commenced this month.
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