Latvia seeks to boost military infrastructure on borders with Russia, Belarus

This was stated by President Edgars Rinkēvičs, Delfi reports.

Rinkēvičs named the strengthening of the eastern border with both Belarus and Russia as one of the priorities for the next year.

According to him, the eastern border should also be strengthened in terms of military infrastructure. The Latvian leader noted that a fence alone will not protect the country from a serious military threat.

"The fence is designed to prevent a hybrid threat," Rinkēvičs added.

At the same time, he emphasized that Latvia needs to work on implementing a civil defense system this year and pointed out that it is important to increase funding for the internal affairs system.

As for other plans for 2024, Edgars Rinkēvičs noted that he is likely to propose certain legislative initiatives, but did not disclose any details.

"I can only say that I will act within the framework of the three priorities that I once outlined in my speech in the Sejm on the day of my inauguration when I took office: security, education and competitiveness," the Latvian president explained.

• Earlier, Latvia built a 36-kilometer-long fence on the border with Belarus.
• In October 2023, the country restricted flights on the border with Belarus to ensure the unimpeded performance of the tasks of the national armed forces.