In Latvia, there is still much work to be done on shelter arrangements; there is enough space for about a quarter of the population

Despite the fact that the full-scale war unleashed by Russia in Ukraine has been ongoing for five years, the arrangement of shelters in Latvia is still at the very initial stage.

Most of the created shelters only partially meet the requirements and do not provide full protection. Local governments are gradually improving them with the help of European funds and their own resources. This funding is planned to be used in the future to install communications in the shelters, equip sanitary facilities, and improve other necessary elements.

Currently, there would be enough space in the shelters for about a quarter of the country's residents for short-term stays. For example, the shelter at the Valmiera Secondary School of Design and Art currently only partially meets all requirements, but improvements are planned soon with an investment of over 190,000 euros.

"We plan to equip a sanitary facility here, as it must also be present in shelters. It will be separated by walls and connected to the sewage system, with water and ventilation. There will be sinks, toilets, everything a person needs if they have to spend a longer time in the basement," said construction engineer of the Valmiera municipality, Kaspars Kalniņš.

The shelter is designed for more than 360 people. In total, there are 34 shelters in the Valmiera region that partially meet the requirements. Improvements are planned in 12 of them in the coming years, with total funding exceeding 549,000 euros, of which 85% is covered by the European Union. At the same time, residents are urged to think about their own basements.

"The local government cannot invest in cooperative private property. Therefore, people need to think for themselves and tidy up safe places where they can take shelter," explained civil defense specialist of the Valmiera municipality, Imants Silanžs.

In the Gulbene region, the situation is similar: in the 18 existing shelters, just over 3,000 people could take refuge. However, none of these shelters currently fully meet all requirements.

This year, 188,000 euros are planned for improvements, starting with five shelters. The local government also notes that the issue of arranging shelters in new buildings has not yet been fully thought out.

"If the local government builds something, we do not receive any support for it - we are not given any additional points for building a shelter under the building. These are only our own expenses," noted the deputy chairman of the Gulbene municipality council, Gunars Babris.

The State Fire and Rescue Service explained that local governments have now begun to actively work on attracting funding. "Local governments have a fairly high motivation to provide residents with a network of shelters, and they are doing this as much as possible. There is always an opportunity to consult with our colleagues," said senior inspector of the resource management department, Agrita Vitola.