Latvia’s experience in countering malicious hybrid attacks is invaluable - Estonian minister

RIGA - Latvia’s experience in countering malicious hybrid attacks is invaluable, said Estonian Minister of the Interior Igor Taro, who met with his Latvian counterpart Janis Dombrava (National Alliance) in Latvia this week.

The Latvian Ministry of the Interior informed LETA that Dombrava hosted the Estonian Minister of the Interior during his working visit to Latvia. During the visit, the ministers discussed cooperation between the two countries in the areas of border security, migration management, civil protection and crisis management, as well as familiarized themselves with Latvia’s internal security infrastructure and the work of its internal affairs services.

Dombrava noted that he and his Estonian counterpart are in agreement-the security challenges in the Baltics are becoming increasingly complex, which is why close cooperation between both countries is essential, and only by working together can we ensure a secure Baltic region and a strong external border of the European Union (EU).

During the meeting, Taro emphasized that Latvia is not only Estonia’s closest neighbor, but also one of its most reliable allies.

Latvia’s experience in countering malicious hybrid attacks is invaluable, and both the Estonian Police and the Estonian Border Guard are gaining valuable and irreplaceable experience by sending their officers to assist their Latvian colleagues in countering these deliberately created challenges. This cooperation will undoubtedly continue, Taro emphasized.

On the first day of the visit, the Latvian and Estonian ministers of the interior visited the disaster management centers in Salacgriva and Saulkrasti, where they familiarized themselves with Latvia’s civil protection and crisis management system, local governments’ preparedness for emergencies and mechanisms for inter-agency cooperation. They discussed the role of disaster management centers in the civil protection system, coordinating cooperation between state and local government agencies and ensuring a rapid response to various types of threats.

The ministers also visited the port of Skulte, where they discussed the port’s importance to the country’s security infrastructure.

The visit continued in Mucenieki, where the ministers familiarized themselves with the work of the Asylum Seekers’ Center and the Detention Center for Foreign Nationals, discussing the management of migration flows, procedures for accommodating foreign nationals, and inter-institutional cooperation.

Meanwhile, at the Riga Municipal Police Unified Command and Video Surveillance Center, the delegation learned about digital solutions for ensuring public safety and order, the use of video surveillance systems, and the coordination of rapid response operations.

On the second day of the visit, Taro, together with Edvins Snore (National Alliance), Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of the Interior, visited the Latvian-Belarusian state border, the Silene Border Guard Unit, the Ludza Precinct of the State Police, the State Border Guard Special Operations Service Sigma, and the Terehova Border Control Point.

During the visit, special attention was paid to the security of the EU external border, border surveillance infrastructure, the operational capabilities of the services, as well as the experience of the Baltic states and Poland in countering the migration pressure exerted by the Belarusian regime.

Latvian officials thanked Estonia for the practical support provided to the Latvian State Border Guard during the period of enhanced border security operations.

At the conclusion of the visit, the delegation met with representatives of the Aluksne Municipality to discuss current security issues facing border municipalities, civil protection and crisis management issues, as well as the challenges municipalities face in the current geopolitical situation.

During the meeting, cooperation between the national government and local governments was also discussed, with a focus on strengthening resilience and preparedness for various potential crisis situations.