Cargo, Containers, Crisis, EU – Baltic States, Latvia, Legal Counsel, Security, Strike, Transport, Truck haulage

The Latvian Foreign Ministry told LETA that the Latvian embassy in France has officially turned to the French Foreign Ministry asking to solve the security problems in Calais. At the same time, the embassy has asked for a meeting with representatives of the French Interior Ministry to discuss problems and find possible solutions.

The ministry reminded that French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve during his visit to the camp named Jungle on September 2 had promised to tear it down by the end of this year.

Truck drivers, farmers and shopkeepers blocked a highway leading into the French port of Calais on Monday, demanding the dismantlement of the migrant camp.

Migrants have been slowing down traffic on the roads to Calais, hoping to jump into trucks and get into the UK.

Latvian LNT television reported earlier that armed attacks of migrants on truckers in the neighborhood of Calais city have caused losses also to Latvian truckers. The cargo transportation companies are losing customers, insurance costs have risen.

The camp in Calais, known as the Jungle, opened in the spring of 2015 as authorities sought to group migrants spread across informal settlements around town into a single location to avoid clashes with local far-right groups. Now the authorities estimate that there might be some 7,000-10,000 migrants residing in the camp.