He said that the situation is not so complicated that the national guard should continue to take part in the monitoring of the eastern border of the country. It should also be noted that national guard are not professional soldiers and should make daily living in their civil professions, said Pabriks.
“If the situation deteriorates in the future, we will certainly be involved,” the Minister added.
The government has previously approved a draft order on the extension of the provision of army support to the State Border Guard by July 9, based on an assessment of the epidemiological situation in Russia and Belarus, as well as an analysis of the risk of rapid increase in illegal immigration following the end of the emergency.
Every day on the border with Russia and Belarus, 60 soldiers and national guardsmen, as well as up to 15 vehicles, are involved in the provision of aid to the guard.
The National Armed Forces started providing support to the State Border Guard as of March 30 as a result of the introduction of an emergency in Latvia due to COVID-19. Although Latvia has cancelled the state of emergency, the movement of persons and vehicles through the external border crossing points of the European Union from/to countries where a serious prevalence of COVID-19 infection is registered, is still prohibited.
