"The system will not be operational [at the end of the year] because the public procurement with its many appeals took too long," the minister said, while urging the public not to rely on cellular broadcasting as a panacea in the event of a threat.
The cellular broadcasting system would allow rapid notifications to be sent to all mobile phone users in the affected area in the event of a threat.
Kozlovskis said that Latvia already has a multifunctional notification system in place, which includes sirens and notification via radio, television and the internet.
"At the moment, somehow the narrative is being pushed - if we don't have cell broadcasting, then we don't have notification. We have notification and it is working," the minister said.
Kozlovskis said that if there is no further appeal in the current procurement of cell broadcasting technology, the system could be introduced next spring.
The technology will cost €4,270,500 and the Ministry of the Interior has indicated that this will be largely covered by European funding - almost €3.3 million from the European Regional Development Fund.
