On Tuesday, July 22, 2025, the Cabinet of Ministers adopted regulations that will allow the State Provision Agency, with support from the European Union, to build disaster management centers in Tukums, Riga (Bolderāja), Kuldīga, Preiļi, Sigulda, Aizkraukle, Limbaži, Jūrmala (Kauguri), Dobele, Ludza, and Saldus. Consequently, infrastructure will be established in these municipalities to ensure an effective and rapid response to natural and human-caused disasters, disaster threats, and various-scale hazards.
The project will improve the working conditions and safety of employees involved in civil protection and disaster management. It will also foster more sustainable, effective, faster, and higher-quality inter-agency cooperation and coordination among the State Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), the State Police (SP), the State Border Guard (SBG), the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA), and the Emergency Medical Service (EMC). At the same time, it will ensure the efficiency and expediency of real estate usage and reduce energy consumption within the Ministry of Interior's portfolio.
This is provided for by the government-adopted "Implementation rules for the fourth call for project proposals under the European Union Cohesion Policy Programme 2021–2027, Specific Objective 2.1.3: Promote adaptation to climate change, risk prevention and resilience to disasters, Measure 2.1.3.3: Disaster risk reduction measures."
Forward-thinking investments in infrastructure are a cornerstone of overall sector development, allowing for long-term savings on funds currently spent on building maintenance and repairs. Additionally, well-organized infrastructure will positively impact the capacity and responsiveness of SFRS, SP, SBG, OCMA, and EMC. The project will help make these services more competitive and attractive workplaces, improve response speed, and ensure the preservation of technical capacity.
It is planned to allocate 106,424,959 euros for the project's implementation, of which 24,669,413 euros is funding from the European Regional Development Fund and 81,755,546 euros is national co-financing. This will enable the construction of at least 10 disaster management centers in various Latvian cities. Within the available funding, the design and construction of these buildings will be provided, along with their appropriate outfitting with built-in furniture, equipment, and specialized technological gear.
It should be noted that the construction of disaster management centers (DMCs) promotes the implementation of resource optimization and more effective management principles in the internal affairs sector. Although the construction of DMCs is purposefully continuing, the overall situation with the Ministry of Interior's real estate portfolio remains critical. The technical condition of the properties under the Ministry's control continues to deteriorate year after year, with some buildings being in a state of disrepair or near collapse. Only 1.9% of all buildings have been commissioned after the year 2000—that is, 12 out of a total of 647 buildings. The majority of SFRS and SP units have been in the same premises for more than thirty years; they are in poor technical condition and are functionally unsuitable. Furthermore, most of the buildings also have high energy consumption, which in turn has a negative impact on the country's overall climate footprint.
We express our deep gratitude to the European Union for its support in improving disaster management in Latvia. This EU co-financing is a strategically significant investment not only in modernizing infrastructure but also in the safety of the country's residents. The new disaster management centers will enhance the capacity and responsiveness of the services involved, thereby ensuring more effective and timely assistance in crisis situations.
