Rural residents rage against radar

RIGA - The decision to site near the Latvian town of Rezekne a 3-D radar, part of a Pan-Baltic air surveillance system intended to ready the Baltics for NATO membership, has put people in the region at odds.

The protests over plans to site the 8 million lat ($12.65 million) radar, which will pry on Russian air space, may be motivated by fears of its environmental impact - Soviet era radars were suspected of having harmful environmental effects.

Residents of Audrini complained when the government decided to place the radar near their city. The location was then moved closer to Rezekne where residents feel they don't know enough about it, said Rezekne City Council spokeswoman Sandra Janikane.

"There is a petition of around 20,000 signatures gathered by local newspapers, but many will probably change their minds when they get more information," the spokeswoman said.

People feel Riga has gone behind their backs and failed to consult them sufficiently when selecting a site for the radar, she explained.

"In December we sent letters to the prime minister and the defense minister asking for more information, but so far we haven't received any replies."

But according to the Baltic News Service there are also those who are ready to offer land for the radar.

The Defense Ministry now admits it slipped up on the public relations front.

"Today we have come to the understanding that we could have started to inform the people there earlier," said Admiral Gaitis Zeibots, NATO integration officer for the Ministry of Defense.

In a last-ditch effort to settle the matter Defense Minister Girts Valdis Kristovskis will go to Rezekne to meet officials and residents on Jan. 18.

The people of the region are looking for an apology for statements in which Kristovskis accused them of being influenced by Russia, whose border with Latvia lies a stone's throw away.

Janis Jurkans, head of the leftist faction For Human Rights in a United Latvia, said Kristovskis' claim that the protest was orchestrated from Moscow was unsubstantiated.

"If he does not apologize to the residents and to Russia, he is making a gross mistake," said Jurkans.

The FHRUL faction has urged Kristovskis to resign and is threatening to demand a no-confidence vote against the minister in Parliament.

Its chances of success may be minimal, but, said Jurkans, "We will try to make as much political noise as possible."

Currently around 100 long-range radar stations of the same type as the one Latvia is purchasing are in operation around the world, many of them not in NATO countries.

The site chosen for the radar is especially suitable and is close to power lines essential for its operation, said Zeibots.