Micerevskis: We fear drones but ignore drunk drivers, says Latvian writer

Writer, publisher and former Riga City Council member Māris Mičerevskis said on the TV24 programme "Preses klubs" that he was pleased the recent drone incident near Latvia's border had been resolved successfully. At the same time, he criticised the tendency in society to create a major stir every time a drone approaches Latvian territory.

Mičerevskis noted that Latvia has a neighbouring country as it is, and that this is a reality that should not be feared. He pointed out that around 75 people die in Latvia every day, and it is unlikely that any of them die because of a drone incursion. He added that even in Ukraine, which faces intense Russian attacks, there has not been a day when 75 people died as a result of drone or other strikes.

Everyday risks are greater

Mičerevskis stressed that while concerns about drone threats are understandable, people face far greater everyday risks, such as a drunk driver causing a road accident at night.

He also shared his own experience: his wife was staying with her mother in Augšdaugava municipality when a warning was received early in the morning around four o'clock. Since the area is close to the border, the family had already discussed how to react in such situations. Mičerevskis said trees in front of the house would likely make it hard for a drone to hit it directly, while windows and potential broken glass posed a bigger risk.

He argued that a drone appearing near the border should not be seen as such a major risk that people avoid Latgale or live in daily fear. Mičerevskis called for such incidents not to be turned into a kind of psychosis, comparing the risk to encountering a bear or being struck by a meteorite or lightning.