The Border Guard approached the NBS at the end of 2023 about the possibility of joining the orders for the soldier's uniform, as the procurement organized by the Border Guard was unsuccessful.
It is planned that the border guards will be supplied with the components of the soldier's uniform both from the stocks of the National Defence Logistics and Procurement Centre (VALIC) warehouses and through new acquisitions.
A total of 2,400 border guards are to be provided with an NBS soldier's uniform jacket and trousers, a jacket, cold-weather overalls, a rain suit, lace jackets, summer and winter hats, underwear, and a belt.
The estimated delivery time for the uniform components is between six months and a year and a half from the time of order.
The uniforms will be replaced gradually over one year.
The total cost is estimated at just under €4.55 million but could be updated as procurement prices change. The cost will be covered by the NBS and is planned to be a one-off measure for the time being, but in the future uniforms will have to be purchased from the Ministry of the Interior.
Minister of the Interior Rihards Kozlovskis (New Unity) explained at the cabinet meeting that the Ministry does not currently have the funding to purchase uniforms on such a large scale. "We have 700 thousand euros in our base. It is enough for boots, a belt and a cap," Kozlovskis said.
Prime Minister Evika Siliņa (New Unity) said that "it would be strange if, after changing the public image of the State Border Guard, we went back to the old uniforms".
Kozlovskis assured that the visual image of the border guards would change and he would not like to go back to the old green uniforms. Moreover, the quality of the NBS uniforms is better.
