Concerns are being raised that residents of the border area will soon have nowhere to buy food 0 16

Currently, politicians in Brussels are working on a new multiannual budget, which may include support for the availability of essential services at the eastern border. If the initiative is supported, entrepreneurs may receive the first funds as early as next year, reports "360TV Ziņas", writes nra.lv.

The owner of a local shop, Dzinta Sprudžane, does not hide the fact that the number of customers is decreasing, and the business is operating practically "at break-even." The shop's doors remain open mainly at the request of residents, rather than for profit, as the owner understands that without this shop, the village will be completely isolated.

Local residents cannot even imagine their daily lives if the shop closes. For Antra, Dainis, and Maria, it is not just a place to buy bread, but the only social spot where they can meet and communicate. For pensioners without their own transport, a trip to a larger center is an expensive and complicated endeavor.

The owner admits that in the current situation, there is no possibility for even basic repairs, such as roof replacement, as all funds go towards survival. The shop has been in existence for twenty years, but over time, the number of employees has decreased from three to one. The seller, Santa, currently performs several functions — she orders goods, cleans, and even heats the premises to provide residents with the essentials.

The shop in Briežuciems is currently being kept afloat only thanks to the resourcefulness of the owner and the support of other properties she owns, such as a café and a shop in Balvi. Local residents and representatives of the municipality believe that the regional policies being adopted in Riga are emptying rural areas — schools and post offices are closing, bus routes are being eliminated, and all of this directly reduces the number of clients for small rural entrepreneurs. The head of the Baltinava Association administration, Sarmīte Tābore, emphasizes that support for border entrepreneurs has been necessary for a long time to keep families in place and prevent the complete extinction of villages.

The news of the European Parliament's plans to support entrepreneurs on the brink of disappearance in the eastern border area has come as an unexpected lifeline for shop owner Dzinta. She says it would give her the strength to continue the fight. However, local residents remain cautious and do not harbor illusions — fifteen years ago, it was in this building that the then leaders of the state promised to support the border area, but those promises remained on paper. Now people are waiting for real actions, hoping that European support will reach Briežuciems faster than the last residents decide to pack their things and leave.