Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs stated in an interview with Euractiv that the EU should provide additional financial support to countries affected by drone incursions.
Rinkēvičs stated that air alerts in Latvia over the past weeks, including interruptions of school exams and cancellations of events in the hospitality sector, have demonstrated how defense and civil resilience are becoming interconnected.
"This affects the local economy, it affects the local population. People are really scared, and there are very good reasons for that," he said.
As reported by bb.lv, the Latgale Tourism Association has already reported a mass cancellation of bookings for the summer, which in turn impacts cafes, hotels, artisans, cultural events, and small businesses.
Thus, the Latgale business sector is demanding financial assistance from Riga, and Riga has decided to ask for money from Brussels.
Rinkēvičs mentioned that he, along with leaders from other Baltic countries, raised this issue with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during a meeting in Vilnius on Tuesday and is now awaiting "concrete proposals."
"This concerns not only defense. It also relates to somewhat broader issues that are interconnected, and where we also discussed possible EU involvement and funding," noted the President of Latvia.
Rinkēvičs emphasized that the geopolitical realities faced by Eastern states mean that defense and security must play a much larger role in the next EU budget than during previous negotiations in 2013 and 2020.
According to the Latvian president, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia share concerns about gaps in surveillance and counter-drone capabilities, despite the ongoing NATO mission to patrol the airspace in the region.
"What was an effective way to combat drones a year ago is no longer so today," he said, asserting that goals regarding capabilities, operational planning, and procurement systems need to become "more flexible."
