Next EU budget must provide adequate resources for eastern border - president

RIGA - The next EU budget must provide adequate resources for the bloc's eastern border, President Edgars Rinkevics said during a meeting with European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva.

As the president's adviser Martins Dregeris told LETA, during the meeting, the officials discussed priorities for the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), with a particular focus on the security, resilience, and economic development of the eastern border regions.

The Latvian president briefed the commissioner on the current situation in the eastern border area and Latvia's security needs. He stressed the need to invest adequate resources in strengthening the eastern border area also in the next EU multiannual budget, boosting both the defense capabilities of member states and the resilience and economic activity of the regions bordering Russia and Belarus.

Rinkevics expressed his support for more funding for the development of dual-use technologies, promoting cooperation between the state, industry, and scientists, as well as for the faster introduction of these innovations into production and the expansion of cooperation with like-minded partners. The parties also discussed the EC's proposals for expanding the EU single market.