PMs of Latvia and Finland to open Patria AMV production plant in Valmiera

RIGA - Prime Minister Evika Silina (New Unity) will meet this Friday with Finnish Prime Minister Peteri Orpo, who is coming to Latvia on a working visit, LETA was told at the State Chancellery.

The prime ministers of the two countries will jointly inaugurate a production plant of the Patria Group company Defence Partnership Latvia in Valmiera, where the production of military vehicles has been launched.

Talks between the Latvian and Finnish prime ministers are expected to address the development of the European Union's (EU) military industry, support for Ukraine and the upcoming NATO Washington Summit, as well as the strengthening of regional security, investment and economic cooperation between Latvia and Finland. The meeting of the Latvian and Finnish prime ministers will be followed by their joint news conference.

Later in Valmiera, the Latvian and Finnish heads of government, the company management, officials of the Defense Ministry and Valmiera Municipality will jointly inaugurate the Patria military vehicle plant. An exhibition, "Finnish Jaegers in Latvia", will be unveiled at the Valmiera Integrated Library.

As LETA reported, Latvia plans to produce around 30 Patria armored modular vehicles (AMV) annually.

Full-cycle production of the new armored vehicles started in May this year at the Defence Partnership Latvia facility, with the first vehicle expected to be ready for testing in July at the earliest. The Defense Ministry has identified a number of possible options to enable the new armored vehicles' testing in Latvia.

The full-cycle production of the armored vehicles is an important step in the development of the domestic military industry, the ministry said, as such large-scale production of military vehicles has not been implemented in our country since the restoration of Latvia's independence. Latvia is to produce around 30 Patria armored personnel carriers annually, which is essential not only for the military industry, but also for the development and strengthening of the national industry.