The authorities of Latvia intend to create a mechanism that will allow residents to receive compensation for damaged property in the event of drone falls or other military incidents. The government may consider the first proposals as early as the end of June.
The Ministry of Justice is developing a new compensation system following several incidents involving drones in the border areas of the country. This was reported by Minister of Justice Edward Smiltenš in an interview for the program "900 seconds" (TV3).
According to him, one of the main tasks now is to create a clear mechanism to support residents whose property may be damaged as a result of drone falls or other military security-related incidents.
"People should feel safe and know that if their property is damaged, a compensation regime will be in place," the minister emphasized.
Proposals are expected to be prepared by June 27, when the government will hold an off-site meeting in Latgale. The border areas are currently considered the most sensitive to such risks.
In developing the model, Latvia is studying international experience. According to Smiltenš, specialists are analyzing solutions used in Ukraine and Israel, where compensation mechanisms for damage from military actions and attacks have been in place for a long time.
One of the key questions remains the source of funding. The minister noted that in most cases, insurance companies do not cover damages related to such incidents.
"Even if the property is insured, such risks are usually not included in the insurance coverage. Therefore, the state will have to take on this function," he explained.
The authorities intend to place special emphasis on the speed of payments. According to the minister, assistance should be provided as quickly as possible — preferably within one to two weeks after the incident.
The issue of compensation has become particularly relevant following recent cases of drone falls near the Latvian border. Until now, there has been no separate mechanism for compensating such losses in the country.
In addition to security issues, Smiltenš also spoke about other priorities of the Ministry of Justice. The department has already reviewed its expenses after suspending part of the budget redistribution and, according to the minister, managed to find about 2.5 million euros in savings without requesting additional funding.
Among the key tasks, the minister also mentioned the protection of children's rights, support for foster families, and the reform of the criminal process. In his opinion, the current Criminal Procedure Law, which is over twenty years old, needs deep modernization, as numerous amendments no longer allow for effectively addressing the accumulated problems.
The ministry has high hopes for the use of artificial intelligence technologies, which in the future could speed up the work of government institutions and reduce administrative costs.
If the new compensation model is approved, Latvia will have a separate mechanism for supporting residents affected by incidents related to military threats and drones for the first time.
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