Riga, April 16 (LETA) - It is necessary to strengthen cooperation, planning and training with municipalities to raise awareness of civil protection work and public awareness, the National Security Council has concluded.

According to LETA, a meeting of the National Security Council was held on Wednesday at the premises of the Constitutional Protection Bureau. The main issues on the agenda were the current situation in the field of civil protection and the security of the country's eastern border.

The National Security Council positively assessed the report by the Interior Minister Rihards Kozlovskis (New Unity) and the Chief of the State Fire and Rescue Service Martins Baltmanis on progress in improving the civil protection system, including the development of shelter infrastructure, introduction of cell broadcasting and provision of state material reserves.

At the same time, the council stressed the importance of close coordination between state institutions, local authorities and the private sector to ensure preparedness for internal security challenges. The National Security Council agreed on the need to strengthen cooperation, planning and training with local authorities to raise awareness of the civil protection work to be carried out and to raise public awareness.

The council was briefed by the Chief of the State Border Guard, Guntis Pujats, and the Commander of the National Armed Forces, Kaspars Pudans, on the situation on the country's eastern border in relation to illegal immigration, as well as on the progress in the construction of the security infrastructure of the eastern border, its military reinforcement, implementation of anti-mobility measures and implementation of technological solutions.

The council members agreed on the importance of cooperation between the Ministries of Interior and Defense in ensuring effective border protection at the external borders of NATO and the European Union, especially in the context of increasing hybrid activities.

The meeting heard reports from national security authorities on the current situation.

The National Security Council coordinates a unified national policy on national security implemented by the highest state institutions and officials and examines progress and problems in its development, considers plans and concepts related to national security, and other matters provided for by law.