On 20 February, Minister for Smart Administration and Regional Development Inga Bērziņa will meet in Brussels with Raffaele Fitto, Executive Director of the European Commission, Commissioner for Cohesion and Reform, to discuss current issues related to the development and security of the Eastern Border Regions. The meeting will discuss opportunities for additional EU economic support, further strengthening the regions' capacity to respond jointly and effectively to common challenges. The Minister will also invite the Commissioner to visit Latvia, including the Eastern Border.
The Latgale region and the Aluksne region, as the external border of the EU and NATO, need much more attention in the current geopolitical situation, so that people living in the region feel secure in their desire to live and work in Latvia.
Latvia has already partially identified investment needs and calls for EU financial support for the Eastern Border Region in the post-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework to address the challenges of economic and social stability, resilience and security faced by EU countries and regions bordering Russia and Belarus. Latvia, together with Lithuania, Estonia and Poland, has prepared and signed in November 2024 a Joint Declaration on building strong and resilient EU regions bordering aggressor countries.
During the visit, the Secretary-General of the European Commission, Ilze Juhansone, and the Permanent Representative of Latvia to the European Union (EU), Leldis Līce-Līcīti, are also scheduled to meet. The talks are expected to discuss topical EU issues, including the development of the Eastern Border Regions, the next multiannual EU budget, as well as the European Commission's programme priorities.