Lithuania ratifies Latvia pact on providing medical assistance in border regions

VILNIUS – The Seimas of Lithuania has ratified the agreement with Latvia on providing emergency medical services in border regions.

Under the agreement, Latvian medics will be able to provide medical assistance to those living close to the Latvian border in the territory of Lithuania.

The agreement was last week ratified unanimously by 103 Lithuanian lawmakers.

"It's a positive and necessary decision. The key criterion when someone needs help is not in whose territory the incident took place but who can provide necessary assistance to save peoples lives faster," Antanas Vinkus, representing the Social Democratic Labor Party of Lithuania, said.

Kestutis Masiulis, representing the Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats, noted that Latvia has a similar agreement with Estonia as well and several cases are recorded every year when people receive help from the neighboring country's medics.

Lithuania's Ministry of Health noted that Lithuanian or Latvian medics will be able to provide medical assistance to patients within 20 km from the border.