A delegation from the European Commission Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs visited the Daugavpils Regional Department of the State Border Guard on May 13 and 14, 2024.
Key Highlights of the Visit:
EU Funding and Development Projects: Henrik Nielsen, Director for Borders and Schengen Affairs at the European Commission Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs, was introduced to the progress made in developing the State Border Guard with EU co-financing. Discussions focused on current needs for monitoring the Latvia-Belarus border and strengthening internal security measures in the border area in response to the hybrid threat posed by Belarus.
Project "Automated Border Surveillance Infrastructure": The opening ceremony of the project "Automated Border Surveillance Infrastructure" took place, during which participants were introduced to the project's objectives, implementation progress, and expected outcomes. Project partners – representatives of the Latvian State Radio and Television Centre – presented the overall architecture of the technological infrastructure envisaged in the project, the solutions to be used, and informed about the project's progress. Representatives of the Provision State Agency informed about the scope and deadlines of the reconstruction work of the observation towers.
Demonstration of Border Control Equipment: Border control special technical means, vehicles, and technical equipment purchased with the help of EU co-financing were demonstrated.
Visit to Detention Center and Border Guard Unit: The European Commission delegation was acquainted with the operation of the "Daugavpils" Detention Center for Foreigners and also visited the Piedruja Border Guard Unit of the Daugavpils Regional Department of the State Border Guard.
Significance of the Visit:
Colonel Olegs Gaidamovičs, Head of the Armament, Supply and Technical Resources Department of the Main Directorate of the State Border Guard and project manager, emphasized the importance of the visit: "The arrival of such a high-ranking European Commission official in Latvia and the visit to the State Border Guard structures is a testament to the European Union's interest in and continued support for strengthening the state border and the external border of the European Union."
Overall, the visit demonstrated the strong partnership between the European Commission and Latvia in strengthening border security and managing migration challenges.
