Latvia currently faces no threat that would require dismantling of tracks at eastern border - official

RIGA - Latvia is not currently facing such a threat that would require dismantling the tracks near the eastern border, but in any case, restricting railways is not a "golden bullet" against a potential aggressor, Parliamentary Secretary of the Defense Ministry, Liene Gatere (Progressives) said at a meeting of the Saeima's subcommittee on internal security on Tuesday.

The sub-committee had invited representatives of several stakeholders to discuss the need to demolish the tracks at the eastern border. The first part of the meeting was open and the rest was closed.

In the open part of the meeting, Gatere pointed out that the aim of the Ministry of Defense in establishing the Baltic Defense Line and implementing the anti-mobility plan is to defeat and stop potential enemies at the border or as close to the border as possible.

Although the dismantling of the rails now has been put to public attention, Gatere pointed out that the rails are one element, as there are still potential threats and corresponding counter-mobility measures in the air, on land, in the water and in cyberspace. "It is clear that rails are not the key element, it is not a panacea, it is not this "golden bullet", but it is one of the elements," the official stressed.

The anti-mobility plan already has mechanisms in place for the defense sector to deactivate the rails if a threat emerges, Gatere said. "We are ready and advocate to deactivate certain sections of the rails in case of a specific threat," the official stressed, adding that one is the vision of the Defense Ministry, but restrictions on rail movement would be a joint decision of the government.

At the moment, there is no immediate threat that would suggest that it is imperative to dismantle the tracks, "but under certain circumstances we are advocating that we are prepared to deactivate and potentially dismantle some sections of the track," Gatere stressed.

Colonel Andris Rieksts, Joint Staff of the National Armed Forces (NBS), told the sub-committee that the NBS has been assessing mobility corridors, which are basically main roads, and rail was also on the agenda.

"The NBS has prepared plans in case something happens right now. The NBS looked at different types of scenarios. The worst scenario is a surprise moment because then time is short. When we look at what can be done on the railway, we get the best time when there is no railway," Rieksts stressed.

The Parliamentary Secretary pointed out that the NBS assessment takes into account the time period needed to deactivate the rails and how this fits with NATO and other Baltic plans. Gatere did not disclose in the open part of the meeting how much time the army would need to deactivate the railway.

As reported, the Saeima earlier rejected a draft decision of the opposition National Alliance which envisaged the dismantling of the Latvian-Russian border railway infrastructure.

Several Latvian ministries and security authorities have been instructed to prepare an opinion by the end of the year on the impact that the demolition of the tracks on the Russian border would have on Latvia. In addition, the Baltic presidents have stressed that such a decision must be a joint one.