The Prime Minister said that the National Armed Forces (NBS) have been monitoring Latvia's critical infrastructure at sea since last year. NATO is also conducting increased patrols in the Baltic Sea.
"It is actually impossible to protect every cable that we have in the sea. But it is important that we are sure that the land infrastructure, which is not only cables, but also other objects, would be safe," said Siliņa.
She is still waiting for a report from the relevant authorities on security issues that still need to be addressed. This will require additional funding and resources.
"It must be said that our infrastructure on land is more secure than it is at sea, where protection is much more critical," said the Prime Minister.
The politician also added that the situation with natural gas reserves is good - the Inčukalnas storage is 85% full.
On the night of October 8, the "Balticconnector" gas pipeline between Estonia and Finland was shut down after a drop in pressure was observed.
The Finnish National Bureau of Investigation concluded in a preliminary investigation that the damage to the gas pipeline was most likely caused by the anchor of a Chinese cargo ship. Further investigation is required to determine whether the damage was intentional or unintentional.
In mid-October, Sweden announced that a Swedish-Estonian telecommunications cable was also damaged by an "external force" at the beginning of October.
NATO said it is stepping up patrols in the Baltic Sea, including conducting additional surveillance and reconnaissance flights, in response to damage to underwater infrastructure. Investigations into the incidents and identification of those responsible are continuing. Inevitably, a great deal of suspicion has been focussed on Russia.
