On 22 November 2022, the European Commission approved the national programme of the Internal Security Fund (ISF) submitted by the Ministry of the Interior for the period 2021-2027, amounting to EUR 42.9 million.
The purpose of the ISF 2021-2027 programming period is to promote a high level of security in the European Union, in particular by combating serious and organized crime, cybercrime, terrorism, and by supporting and protecting victims of crime.
Criminal groups are increasingly using the Schengen free movement area. Further destabilizing the geopolitical and humanitarian situation in Europe following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the flow of third-country migrants has increased rapidly in Latvia after February 2022. These events find a new transit route for criminal groups. Currently, smuggling of synthetic drugs, marijuana and heroin is witnessing a rapid boom in the northeastern region of Europe. Latvia is at the intersection of illegal immigration and, consequently, drug, psychotropic transit routes.
The ISF will support measures to improve faster and safer information exchange between law enforcement authorities at Latvian and international level, improving cross-border cooperation, including by ensuring the participation of professionals of Latvian law enforcement authorities in joint operations to fight terrorism and organized crime. Specialized State Police departments participating in complex investigations in the field of drug trafficking and trafficking in human beings against cross-border, as well as domestic organized crime groups, will be substantially strengthened.
Within the framework of the ISF, particular attention will be paid to the digital transformation and to a significant increase in the professional training of employees. In addition, high-quality, modern equipment to fight crime will be purchased.
Thanks to the ISF, Latvian law enforcement authorities will be provided with modern tools that will significantly strengthen institutions' capacity to prevent, detect and investigate criminal offences and respond to security risks.
The Ministry of Interior is the managing authority of the ISF 2021-2027 programming period.
During the programming period of the ISF 2021-2027, EUR 42 957 118.60 are available to Latvia, consisting of European Union co-financing in the amount of EUR 32 730 151.36 and national co-financing in the amount of EUR 10 226 967.24.
