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  • Bringing neighbours closer

    Bringing neighbours closer

    Welcome to the Interreg V-A Latvia–Lithuania Programme 2014–2020!

    About the programme
  • Bringing neighbours closer

    Bringing neighbours closer

    Welcome to the Interreg V-A Latvia–Lithuania Programme 2014–2020!

  • Bringing neighbours closer

    Bringing neighbours closer

    Welcome to the Interreg V-A Latvia–Lithuania Programme 2014–2020!

LLI-302 Improvement of efficiency and availability of local public security services in cross border regions of Latvia and Lithuania (Safe borderlands)

The project partnership involves directly bordering municipalities which had the need to establish joint cooperation mechanism to increase the level of public safety and prevent crimes. Common challenges experienced by them were lack of capacity, low cooperation and effectiveness of municipality’s public security services.

Project objective was to improve efficiency and availability of local public security services in cross border area by strengthening the capacity and cooperation and making borderlands a safe place to live.

During the project 542 public security service providers, including approximately 50 volunteers – firefighters –  had a possibility to improve their skills: they participated in 2 joint trainings about similarities and differences in local public security services in Latvia and Lithuania, and in 5 local trainings to strengthen the capacity in reaction and response measures in life-threatening situations.

6 experience exchange visits, including visit to Poland, for local public security service providers had been provided to acquire the best existing practise, 5 stakeholders’ dialogue workshops for ensuring better cooperation and interaction among municipalities and state institutions had been organized.  Additionally, local inhabitants participated in 9 educational awareness campaigns about safety and risk prevention.

Also, 5 local public security services capacities had been improved by new infrastructure and equipment: video surveillance system, lightening, equipment for public order and firefighting departments, specialized second-hand firefighters’ car, drone, vehicle speed display and informative signs with information that video surveillance is carried out.

Joint local public security services procedure for local municipalities about risk prevention and reaction measures improving safety in cross border territory had been applied in 6 bordering municipalities, 3 dual cooperation agreements had been signed among these municipalities (Biržai and Vecumnieki, Rokiskis and Akniste, Tervete and Joniskis) on data exchange, joint patrolling, providing of help in emergency situation, establishment of cross border commission and other.

As a result, project  helped to improve the efficiency and availability of 6 local public security services by making services faster, simplified and the most important – available, thus reducing time needed for response measures and improving risk prevention.

Social media and contacts:
Phone: +371 630 27549
E-mail: zpr@zpr.gov.lv
Website: www.zemgale.lv
Address: Katoļu 2b, Jelgava, Latvia

4 November 2020

LLI-302, Safe Borderlands project results

Zemgale planning region, located in the middle of the country, has about 290 kilometers of land border with neighboring Lithuania. At the border live inhabitants of 24 Zemgale rural territories, whose daily life in various areas coincides with the course of life of their neighbors, including socio-economic, cultural, educational, environmental protection and other issues. However, each of the neighboring countries has its own peculiarities of local government, legislation, public order and habits, which greatly influence mutual relations and development trends of the territory.

The local rescue service, regardless of its affiliation and public awareness, operational and professional cooperation on both sides of the border are crucial in dealing with the consequences of floods, storms and other natural disasters, environmental pollution and fires, in traffic accidents and prevention of crime. Therefore, Zemgale Planning Region, involving partners from Aknīste, Tērvete and Vecumnieki municipalities in Zemgale, as well as from Biržai and Rokiškis districts in Lithuania, has implemented the Interreg V-A Latvia-Lithuania cross-border co-operation program 2014-2020 project LLI-302 “Improvement of the efficiency and availability of local public security services on the Latvian-Lithuanian border” (Safe borderlands).

During implementation of the project, meetings of representatives of local state and municipal public security structures, including police, border guards and rescue services, took place in each partner institution took place – trainings to find and create the best solutions to improve cooperation, increase service response capacity in life-threatening situations. In parallel, an extensive study has been carried out on the availability and quality of public security services in the border areas, and an Action Plan for improvement of legislation and practical activities has been developed. The mentioned document has become the basis for conclusion of bilateral cooperation agreements between Aknīste and Rokiškis, Vecumnieki and Biržai, Tērvete and Joniškis local governments. Experience of the project partners exchange trip to the Polish-German euroregion “Pomerania”, which has been successfully implementing a number of cross-border cooperation projects aimed at improving public security services and institutional cooperation, has been very valuable. At our own home, on the Latvian-Lithuanian border, with the support of the “Safe borderlands” project, almost 100 video surveillance cameras were purchased and installed in five municipalities to increase the capacity of security services, which were included in local stationary control systems, speed monitor was installed in Aknīste – display and informative road signs, in all the border municipalities involved in the project, additional modern equipment for the needs of the rescue service was purchased, but in Biržai, neighboring Lithuania, modernization of street lighting was carried out while improving infrastructure.

A valuable contribution to the improvement of public safety in Tērvete municipality can be considered a fire truck purchased with the support of the project, which is new and significantly more powerful than the previously used one, suitable for work in difficult conditions in rural and forest areas. Implementers of the project have done a lot to educate children and young people, increase prestige of the police, border guard, medical and firefighting professions by organizing various competitions, practical classes and exciting games in traffic safety, firefighting and other fields.

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7 November 2019

Zemgale policemen are looking for better cooperation solutions in the Latvian – Lithuanian border area

Public order guards from Zemgale Regional Board of the State Police, Auce, Akniste, Bauska, Jelgava, Viesīte, Vecumnieki and Tērvete municipal police, as well as project managers from several municipalities participated in Zemgale Planning Region roundtable discussion on the efficiency of public services In the Latvian – Lithuanian border area.

The discussion organized  within  Interreg V-A Latvia-Lithuania Cross Border Cooperation Programme 2014-2020,   LLI-302 “Improving the efficiency and accessibility of local public security services in the Latvian-Lithuanian border area” (Safe Borderlands) project framework. The purpose of the discussion, just like in the October, 2019 exchange of views between fire and rescue services, was to summarize positive examples of state and municipal police cooperation to date and identify key obstacles to better cooperation and more effective action on both sides of the border. The participants of the discussion evaluated the current cooperation of state and municipal police in Zemgale as good, but in cooperation with colleagues from the neighboring country, a number of uncertainties were mentioned, mainly in the area of ​​distribution of competences. Therefore, the intention to prepare and sign three bilateral cooperation agreements between neighboring municipalities – Tērvete and Joniskis, Vecumnieki and Biržai, Akniste and Rokiskis – as a result of the research carried out during the implementation of the project is to be supported. The lack of financial and human resources was cited by almost all speakers as an obstacle to improving the services provided.

Border municipalities want to increase the presence of state police officers in their territories, especially in the prevention of more serious offenses, when municipal police officers or, most often, police officers lack both the power and knowledge to detect and apprehend the perpetrators. As a positive factor, the stewards noted the increasing trust of the local population in the police, with each municipality having well-known residents who regularly report and engage in public order violations. In turn, the municipal police drew attention to the inequalities in the provision of material and technical facilities between smaller and larger municipalities, according to the local situation. For example, there are 12 lakes in Viesīte municipality, but the equipment needed to detect water pollution and edge fishing is very modest. It should be taken into account that there is also 80 hectares of Ilzu Lake in the county, about half of which is in Latvia and the other half in Lithuania, where the cooperation of the stewards is particularly necessary. Meanwhile, Jelgava municipality police have acquired a modern arsenal of technical equipment – quadricycle, drone, night vision monocle, thermal camera, powerful motor boat and echo control for inland water and fish resources protection, mainly with the support of the Fish Fund.

Also, the impressive network of CCTV cameras in many municipalities, including with the support of the Safe Borderlands project, there is a need to produce a digital map of the location of such cameras so that, if necessary, the stewards have access to the stored information. This proposal will also be taken into account in the follow-up to the project. The project partners are currently organizing similar discussions on the Lithuanian side, but at the end of November, meeting with all project partners, will prepare proposals for a large-scale study and recommendations for improving cooperation between border rescue services and law enforcement agencies in other non-project municipalities.

The total budget of the project is EUR 543 262.45, including ERDF funding of EUR 461 773.08.This publication has been produced with the financial support of the European Union. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the Zemgale Planning Region and are under no circumstances an official position of the European Union.

https://www.facebook.com/Zemgale/photos/pb.336000493185200.-2207520000.0./2503830603068834/?type=3&theater

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19 June 2019

Latvian and Lithuanian security service providers gain experience in the Polish-German border area.

Implementing the Interreg V-A Latvian-Lithuanian Cross-Border Cooperation Programme’s 2014-2020  project LLI-302 “Improvement of efficiency and availability of local public security services in cross border regions of Latvia and Lithuania” (Safe Borderlands), the lead partner – Zemgale Planning Region (ZPR) organized an experience exchange visit to Poland for the project partners:  Aknīste, Tērvete, Vecumnieki municipalities, as well as Lithuania municipalties from Biržai and Rokiškis.

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Results which have been achieved in the LLI-302, Safe Borderlands project:

  • 5 Experience exchange visits for local security service providers and 1 experience exchange visit to another cross border region of Polish German cross border region

https://2014-2020.latlit.eu//wp-content/uploads/2021/07/LLI.302.T1.2.1.Experience.Exchnage.EN_.pdf

https://2014-2020.latlit.eu//wp-content/uploads/2021/07/LLI.302.T1.3.1.Experience.Exchnage.Poland.EN_.pdf

  • 2 training seminars on similarities and differences in public security services organized in Latvia and Lithuania;
  • 5 local trainings organized to improve the response to life-threatening situations;
  • 5 stakeholder workshops / workshops organized to improve co-operation between municipalities and public authorities on public safety issues

LLI-302. Safe Borderlands Project’s Activity A.T1.4 Result. Organization of Stakeholders dialogue workshops for ensuring better cooperation and interaction among municipalities and state institutions. Latvian Version, Fire fighters

https://2014-2020.latlit.eu//wp-content/uploads/2021/07/LLI.302.T1.4.1.RoundTable.FireFighters.LV_.pdf

LLI-302. Safe Borderlands Project’s Activity A.T1.4 Result. Organization of Stakeholders dialogue workshops for ensuring better cooperation and interaction among municipalities and state institutions. Latvian Version, Police

https://2014-2020.latlit.eu//wp-content/uploads/2021/07/LLI.302.T1.4.1.RoundTable.Police.LV_.pdf

LLI-302. Safe Borderlands Project’s Activity A.T1.4 Result. Organization of Stakeholders dialogue workshops for ensuring better cooperation and interaction among municipalities and state institutions. Latvian Version, Police & Firefighters

https://2014-2020.latlit.eu//wp-content/uploads/2021/07/LLI.302.T1.4.1.RoundTable.FireFighters.Police.Joint_.LV_.pdf

  • 9 educational campaigns on safety and risk prevention for local people were organized;
  • A study on cross-border co-operation solutions was conducted

LLI-302. Safe Borderlands Project’s Activity A.T.7.1. Result. Study and Action Plan Latvian and Lithuanian Version

Elaborated 1 New cross border cooperation solution improving public services –joint local public security services procedure for local municipalities about risk prevention and reaction measures improving safety in cross border territory

https://2014-2020.latlit.eu//wp-content/uploads/2021/07/LLI.302.A.T.7.1.Study_.LV_.pdf

https://2014-2020.latlit.eu//wp-content/uploads/2021/07/LLI.302.A.T.7.1.Study_.LT_.pdf 

  • A booklet on differences in security issues in Latvia and Lithuania;

https://2014-2020.latlit.eu//wp-content/uploads/2021/07/LLI.302.A.C.6.Brochure.LV_-1.pdf

https://2014-2020.latlit.eu//wp-content/uploads/2021/07/LLI.302.A.C.6.Brochure.LT_.pdf

https://2014-2020.latlit.eu//wp-content/uploads/2021/07/LLI.302.A.C.6.Brochure.RU_.pdf

https://2014-2020.latlit.eu//wp-content/uploads/2021/07/LLI.302.A.C.6.Brochure.ENG_.pdf

  • Improved performance of 5 municipal security services due to: installation of a video surveillance system consisting of installation of 87 video cameras in municipalities; 1 fire truck and dron purchase; speed display and information signs for video surveillance;
  • 3 bilateral co-operation agreements between 6 cross-border municipalities on cooperation in the field of public safety have been concluded.

Last updated: 26.06.2024 15:10