“You can really do a lot of things together – we want and can prove it!” – this is the general conclusion of the recent Management Group IV meeting within the INTERREG V-A Latvia-Lithuania Programme project LLI-082 „SYNERGY FOR SECURITY”. On October 24, 2018 in Utena, Lithuania held its fourth meeting of the project management group. It took place in the Utena district administration building. Jonas Slapšinskas, Director of the Utena District Municipality Administration, spoke in an introductory speech and wished for constructive cooperation. The guests also received souvenirs with the symbols of Utena.

The project partners presented the accomplishments of the 3rd project during the reporting period, organized public procurement procedures, as well as actualized problems and challenges. Partners have purchased security equipment used to protect the EU’s external borders, installed video surveillance cameras and social stands in schools. Police and Border Guard visits to schools were discussed when discussing security issues.

In the course of the negotiations, various problems encountered during the implementation of the project. There were also highlighted and the causes and solutions were sought. For example, the technology procurement planned by the project is delayed due to improvements in the specifications of intensive technologies, since, of course, all project participants want to purchase only the most advanced technologies. Jānis Anspoks, Chief of Latgale Regional Department of the State Police of Latvia  emphasized cross-border co-operation between law enforcement agencies, for example, the last joint patrol of the two countries’ police was during the visit of the Pope of Rome to Aglona (Latvia) at the end of September. Romualds Stašāns, Border guard of Latvia, said the border guards of both countries – Latvia and Lithuania are jointly patrolled regularly – at least once a month. If necessary, they are ready to join forces.

The project manager Ilze Stabulniece praised the project partners for compliance with the timetable for implementation of the various project activities and the reporting schedule. Representatives from all project partners discussed about the development of the project and about the role of project partners role in it.

The third implementation period of the INTERREG V-A Latvia-Lithuania programme project “SYNERGY FOR SECURITY” has already come to the end, when 8 heads of law enforcement agencies and municipalities in Latvia and Lithuania met in Moletai municipality (Lithuania) on November 8, 2018. The partner informed about the achievements in implementing the project, buying equipment and implementing measures to achieve a common goal in the fight against cross-border smuggling and illegal migration. Purchased night vision and other equipment are used in the work of law enforcement agencies and public order provision in local governments. Vytautas Vaiškunas, the police chief of the Utena region of the Republic of Lithuania, emphasized the acceleration of the data exchange flow at the international level. This can be achieved by reducing bureaucratic barriers as they hinder information exchange.

The closest event within the project is the thematic meeting on the the movement of illegal excisable goods across the EU border, which will take place on November 22-23 in Lithuania.

 

This publication has been prepared with financial support from the European Union. The content of the publication is entirely the responsibility of the State Police of the Republic of Latvia, and   does not constitute an official position of the European Union.

 

INTERREG V-A Latvia-Lithuania Programme project LLI-082 „SYNERGY FOR SECURITY”

Budget: 580 236,21 EUR – 85% ERDF funding, 15% national co-financing (incl. state co-financing – 5% in LV, 7,5% in LT)

Duration: 24 MONTHS (May 17, 2017-November 16, 2019) The project is co-financed by the Latvia-Lithuania programme. Project Lead partner is latvian State police.

Website of the 2014.-2020 INTERREG V-A Latvia-Lithuania Programme: www.latlit.eu/

Official website of the European Union: www.europa.eu