A Year After Its Creation, Latvia's Crisis Management Centre Still Lacks Secure Premises and Constant Contact with the Army

Latvia's Crisis Management Centre, set up a little more than a year ago, faced its first major test in late August, when a devastating storm hit the country. According to the TV3 programme "Nekā personīga", the centre still has no secure premises and no uninterrupted communication with the army.

Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs acknowledged in the programme that the centre "does not work" in its present form and must be reshaped.

Municipalities' assessment

Several municipal leaders say they hardly felt the centre's involvement during the crisis. The source gives no further details on which municipalities made these claims or what help they expected.

What is known about the centre

The Crisis Management Centre was created to coordinate the state's work in crisis situations. The storm was the first time its performance was tested on a large scale. In the programme's assessment, the main shortcomings are the lack of secure premises and the absence of uninterrupted communication with the armed forces.

The source does not say what changes are planned or when they might take place.