EU's next multi-annual financial budget must focus on strengthening security - Rinkevics

RIGA - The next multi-annual financial budget of the European Union (EU) should focus on strengthening security, demography and competitiveness, President Edgars Rinkevics said after a meeting with Raffaele Fitto, Vice-President of the European Commission for Cohesion and Reform, and Valdis Dombrovskis (New Unity), EU Commissioner for Economy and Productivity, Implementation and Simplification.

Martins Dregeris, Adviser to the President on Communications, told LETA that during the meeting the parties discussed Latvia's progress in implementing the existing EU support instruments, as well as the priorities of the next Multi-annual Financial Framework and possible structural changes.

"Latvia considers it important to increase the overall size of the EU's next Multi-annual Financial Framework, as well as to maintain the Cohesion Policy funds and Common Agricultural Policy instruments as separate and targeted solutions," Rinkevics said.

After the meeting, the President also stated that it is also necessary to continue work on reducing the administrative burden for beneficiaries.