On Tuesday, after the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Edgars Rinkēvičs (JV) announced that Latvia is not going to soften the policy of sanctions against Russia.
On Tuesday, after the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Edgars Rinkēvičs (JV) announced that Latvia is not going to soften the policy of sanctions against Russia.
In the closed session today, the government conceptually supported the informative report prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the strengthening of sanctions with Russia.
Rinkēvičs explained that the informative report was prepared because a year and a half has passed since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and since Latvia, as a member of the European Union (EU), applied various types of economic sanctions.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs emphasized that Latvia will continue to consistently advocate for the application of sanctions against Russia in all areas. Nor will they look for opportunities to soften the sanctions, or to agree to calls for them to be softened, as such speeches appear in the EU from time to time.
It is also planned to pay attention to those countries where the export of Latvian goods has suddenly increased, or the import from these countries, which suggests circumvention of sanctions. Therefore, it is planned to work to prevent the circumvention of sanctions, to more strictly monitor the application of sanctions, working with the EU, so that it becomes a common European practice.
Asked whether there are concerns about the application of sanctions, Rinkēvičs noted that the policy of sanctions is becoming more and more complex and multifaceted. It is necessary to explain and work with companies who want to comply with the sanctions and who want advice in good faith.
At the same time, there have been cases reported by the law enforcement authorities, when there were specific violations of sanctions. According to the foreign minister, not everyone believes that the sanctions apply to them. He emphasized that compliance with sanctions in Latvia is a constant work with all the involved institutions.
“In my opinion, there have been some improvements, however, from time to time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also approached with questions about how sanctions can be circumvented. The government confirmed that our policy is to strictly apply sanctions to Russia while the war in Ukraine is ongoing and as long as there are no significant changes in Russia’s behavior,” said the foreign minister. minister.
Rinkevich expressed his pleasure that the government decided today to redistribute 2 million euros to the Ministry of Economy (ME) to provide support for the reconstruction of Ukraine, especially the Chernihiv region. According to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, it is necessary to prepare for the fact that the reconstruction program of Ukraine must be a long-term plan.
LETA already wrote that the funding is being redistributed from the budget department “Funding to be redistributed in the annual state budget execution process” program “Financing for measures to strengthen national security” to the budget of the Ministry of Finance.
According to the informative report prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs “On Latvia’s involvement in the reconstruction of Ukraine, especially the Chernihiv region”, one of the proposed directions of support is the involvement of Latvian businessmen in the reconstruction of the Chernihiv region in 2023, allocating two million euros for this purpose from Latvia’s involvement in the reconstruction of Ukraine in 2023. 5,110,877 euros of funding provided for by the law “On the state budget for 2023 and the budget framework for 2023, 2024 and 2025”.
The purpose of the support within the allocated funding is the provision of basic services to the residents of Chernihiv region and the socio-economic development of the region, ensuring the identified needs of Ukraine through the delivery of the most urgent and necessary goods.
The planned support will be provided in close cooperation with Ukrainian partners, according to the needs identified by Ukrainian officials. EM cooperated with the administration of the city of Chernihiv and the city of Nizhyn in the development of this offer.
In order to provide the mentioned support, the EM will address Latvian businessmen, information about the planned negotiation procedure will be published on the EM website.
The MoE plans to use the two million euro funding allocated for the reconstruction of the Chernihiv region of Ukraine in the renovation of the housing stock, the improvement of pre-school educational institutions and the provision of reinforced concrete civil shelters, according to the informational report of the MoE, which was heard by the government on Tuesday.
Taking into account the request of the Ukrainian side, the Ministry of Finance offers to use the two million euros of funding granted by providing support in the restoration of the housing stock – modular houses for families whose homes were completely destroyed as a result of Russian aggression (approximately one million euros), in the improvement of preschool educational institutions (furniture, playground equipment), providing a safe and stimulating environment (approximately EUR 500,000), providing reinforced concrete civilian shelters (approximately EUR 495,000), providing the services of a certified construction expert to install modular houses and civilian shelters (approximately EUR 5,000).
A conceptual agreement has been reached with the Chernihiv City Council on the work to be performed by each party in order to implement the above-mentioned support.
The MoE report states that the said support would encourage the return of residents to the region, provide an opportunity for able-bodied residents to resume work and accelerate Ukraine’s economic growth.
An agreement has been reached with the Chernihiv City Council on the criteria according to which Chernihiv residents will be granted modular homes – families without a place to live, whose homes have been destroyed as a result of the Russian invasion, families with children (priority), socially disadvantaged families, families with low incomes.
The MoE presented its vision at the meeting of the Development Cooperation Policy Advisory Council on June 19, 2023. Within its framework, the vision proposed by the Ministry of the Interior for Latvia’s involvement in the reconstruction process of Chernihiv in 2023, promoting the involvement of Latvian businessmen, was accepted and conceptually supported.
The MoE informs that according to the information provided by the Chernihiv city administration, as a result of hostilities, the private housing stock in the city of Chernihiv was significantly damaged or even completely destroyed in some places. As a result of the survey, it was concluded that 527 dwellings were completely destroyed, 919 dwellings were significantly damaged, and 1629 dwellings were slightly damaged.
Also, about 70% of educational institutions were destroyed, that is, two schools, one vocational school were completely destroyed, while 25 schools, 37 kindergartens, four vocational schools were partially damaged. Currently, an average of 3,700 children attend 37 preschool educational institutions (out of 52 existing ones), which have resumed work and need to restore the lost material and technical base.
Thus, one of the priority tasks of the Chernihiv city administration is to provide housing for the city’s residents. On the other hand, simultaneously with the reconstruction of educational institutions, it is necessary to modernize their material and technical base, creating a suitable educational environment for the children of the city of Chernihiv who suffered severe psychological stress and injuries due to military operations and continue to live in constant fear due to the ongoing war, especially for preschool children.
Also, the administration of the city of Chernihiv emphasizes that, taking into account the constant danger of air attack, the issue of providing civilian shelters to the institutions and companies of the city of Chernihiv is urgent, in order to improve the safety of citizens.
The MoE will provide public communication on all measures related to the reconstruction of Ukraine and the involvement of entrepreneurs.
