By 2031, €50.89 million will be invested in Latvia to strengthen civil protection and community resilience with support from the European Economic Area (EEA) Grants, with a particular focus on the eastern border regions. The investment will support the development of the shelter network, ensure the continuity of critical services and improve public preparedness for crisis situations. Priority support will also be provided to hospitals, which must be able to continue delivering emergency medical care without interruption during a crisis.
Under the “Local Development and Resilience” programme, premises covering 80,805 square metres are to be adapted for use as civil protection shelters, providing shelter for at least 107,630 people. The programme also provides for the installation of 35 electricity generators in hospitals and state social care centres to ensure the continuity of critical services in the event of power outages. The early warning system will be upgraded with the installation of 50 new warning sirens.
The programme’s investments will cover the whole of Latvia, with shelters adapted in 42 municipalities and measures taken to ensure the continuity of critical services. At the same time, specific activities—such as upgrading the early warning system and strengthening civil protection infrastructure—will focus particularly on Latvia’s eastern border regions, where timely public warnings and preparedness for crisis situations are especially important.
“This funding will enable municipalities to adapt premises for use as shelters, provide backup power in hospitals and social care centres, and improve public preparedness for crises. When a crisis occurs, it is essential that people have somewhere to take shelter and that vital services continue. We are grateful to Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway for their support. The EEA Grants also give us the opportunity to draw on Nordic experience in crisis management and preparedness,” said Edgars Tavars, Minister for Smart Administration and Regional Development.
Alongside infrastructure development, the programme will invest in the knowledge and skills of residents and municipal staff. More than 2,000 staff from municipalities and their institutions will strengthen their preparedness to respond to crisis situations, while 500 local community members will develop their media literacy skills, including the ability to recognise disinformation and assess the credibility of information. The programme will also strengthen the capacity of rural communities and encourage residents to take part in addressing local issues, helping to build a cohesive and resilient society.
The programme’s activities will be carried out in cooperation with municipalities, hospitals, state social care centres and libraries, strengthening both infrastructure and the capacity of local institutions and communities to respond to threats.
The programme has a total budget of €50.89 million. Of this, €43.3 million is provided by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants, while €7.59 million is co-financed by the Latvian state budget. The funding is provided for in the agreement on the implementation of the “Local Development and Resilience” programme, signed on 12 October 2026 by the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Latvia and the Financial Mechanism Committee.
The programme is administered by the Ministry of Smart Administration and Regional Development.