Latvian Prime Minister plays down 'brink of war' fears

"I want to make it clear to the people of Latvia that there is currently no reason for concern. The level of military threat to Latvia has not changed. The risk of a direct Russian military invasion of Latvia is currently low. This is confirmed by the assessment of the responsible security institutions, and this has also been publicly emphasized by the President of Latvia," said Kulbergs in a government statement. As previously reported by LSM, a draft order prepared by the Ministry of Climate and Energy on declaring a state of emergency in Latvia's eastern border is "a preventive and temporary legal solution to ensure the continuity of critical services during a possible threat to airspace. It does not indicate a new or immediate military threat to Latvia," according to a government release. "Preparation for a potential threat is not the same as an immediate threat. These two things should not be confused. The government has a duty to be prepared for the worst-case scenarios, and that is why we are strengthening the country's resilience and critical infrastructure," the Prime Minister emphasized. "Security is not a tool for pre-election rhetoric, and political points should not be scored by exploiting people's fears. The public has the right to receive accurate, timely and understandable information. I apologize to anyone who was worried by the insufficiently explained information," the Prime Minister said. Kulbergs is right in the sense that the words "state of emergency" sound dramatic, especially to foreign ears. But states of emergency have been declared in parts of Latvia in recent years as a response to things as mundane as flooded fields and outbreaks of African Swine Fever, and as the Prime Minister pointed out, the declaration of a state of emergency is generally a legal nicety that allows quicker financial assistance to be provided with less bureaucracy along the way. However, the fact that in this case the state of emergency – which has yet to be approved – is being proposed as a result of Russia's belligerent and aggressive actions, makes it perhaps understandable that the public and foreign observers might see it as particularly significant. "If hospitals, energy supply, water management or other critical service providers need special legal regulation to continue their work and protect their employees in the event of a threat, the government will evaluate such proposals and make the necessary decisions. However, technical and organizational state preparedness measures must not be communicated as if Latvia is on the brink of war," Kulbergs pointed out.