Budget, Financial Services, Latvia, Legislation, Transport

At the end of this past July, the government decided to allocate EUR 158 million in improving air-surveillance and anti-aircraft capabilities. With the help of these funds, Latvia will be able to procure and station air space surveillance detectors and radar, establish an anti-aircraft system and modernize its weaponry, as well as equip its patrol ships with specific systems, develop tactical surveillance capabilities and train its soldiers.

"If we manage to realize all of this, we will be able to detect low level flights near Latvia's border, as well as increase our armed forces' air surveillance capabilities," Defense Minister Raimonds Vejonis (Greens and Farmers' Union) indicates.

The Defense Ministry has currently decided to purchase several air-surveillance systems. A total of 13 companies have offered their surveillance systems to Latvia, while companies operating in the European Union have offered more than 15 different surveillance systems.

The offered systems are currently being analyzed according to operational requirements. The most suitable and financially beneficial variant will be picked.

The ministry explained that current surveillance systems in Latvia are able to provide continuous surveillance of Latvia's air-space. Radio-locators in Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania are all linked up, forming a joint air-space surveillance system and providing a much larger coverage.