On 7 March 2023, the Ministry of Interior, the State Provision Agency and the State Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) signed a trilateral agreement on the implementation of the Recovery Fund investment project “Reinforcing the capacity of rescue services, in particular the modernisation of the infrastructure and technical base of the SFRS”.
The aim of this project is to ensure equal efficiency, speed and quality work of the services involved in disaster management throughout Latvia, by improving the cooperation and coordination of the services involved in response and disaster management and by building new disaster management centres – in Salacgrīva, Līvāni, Madona, Daugavpils, Liepāja, Alsunga and Viļāni.
It is also planned to strengthen the capacity of rescue, response and disaster management services, particularly the modernisation of the infrastructure and technical base of the SFRS, given that more than 80% of SFRS depots were built between 1890 and 1960. On the other hand, the project will improve the working conditions of employees, including job security, which will have a positive impact on the level of satisfaction of employees and the recruitment of potential employees.
Ms. Zane Petre, Head of Mission of the European Commission in Latvia, notes the strategic importance of the project: “The availability and capacity of rescue services are important for every citizen. Large or small, old or young, villages and towns may need immediate assistance from rescuers. Rescue services deserve better and more efficient working conditions. Investments from the Recovery Fund for nearly EUR 37 million in the construction of disaster management centres will help Latvia to strengthen its response capacity, including in the event of unforeseen events. In addition, the new disaster management centre buildings will be constructed as nearly zero energy consumption buildings, thereby also supporting the achievement of the climate neutrality target."
Minister of the Interior Mr. Māris Kučinskis points out that the transformation of infrastructure into all the services of the Ministry of Interior, especially the State Police and the State Fire and Rescue Service, is one of the most important priorities that will finally allow the abandonment of the legacy accumulated during the old Soviet years in this area. "It is the introduction of a fundamentally new and modern system that provides new spaces, innovative hardware and communications tools. A total of 34 such centres will be established in Latvia by 2027, which will allow for timely identification of the various problems in which our citizens have reached and to react swiftly and effectively by providing the necessary assistance" – says Mr. Māris Kučinskis.
According to Ms. Ramona Innusa, Director of the State Provision Agency, the implementation of this project, coupled with the projects already under way, will contribute to the development of the internal affairs sector: "Since the beginning of this idea in 2018, the first tangible results in the internal affairs sector have already started this year, by passing the services to a new standard eight depo. Funding raised under the Recovery Fund will enable the working conditions of home affairs services to be significantly improved over the next three years, thereby increasing the overall prestige of home affairs services and the quality of services provided."
The agreement foresees that the project will be implemented by the end of March 2026. The total eligible costs of the investment project under the Recovery Fund are €36.63 million, and the total amount needed is €60.17 million. Investments under the Recovery Fund are only part of a wider reform of disaster risk management, in which, without the construction of disaster management centres throughout Latvia, the purchase of special vehicles and equipment is planned, the introduction of information technology solutions, the implementation of preventive measures and structural reforms.
Similar disaster management centres are also planned to be built in Talsi, Tukums and Alūksne. The source of funding for these sites is still being clarified.
