On Tuesday, March 5, the Cabinet (CM) supported the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the State Border Guard of the Republic of Latvia and the European Border Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX) regarding the hosting of FRONTEX Liaison Officer in the Republic of Latvia.
In 2017, a decision on the deployment of FRONTEX Liaison Officer to the Baltic States in Latvia was taken on the Management Board of the FRONTEX Agency. General G. Pujāts, Chief of the State Border Guard, points out: "The deployment of the FRONTEX Liaison Officer in Latvia will facilitate rapid and unmediated communication with the FRONTEX Agency on the ongoing situation in the state within the framework of integrated border management, as well as facilitate the fulfilment of duties arising from the European Border and Coast Guard' legal framework, such as Latvia's participation in joint operations coordinated by FRONTEX."
The main task of the FRONTEX Liaison Officer is to foster cooperation and dialogue between FRONTEX and the national authorities responsible for border management, return and coast guard functions, as well as those authorities performing coastguard functions within the framework of border control. With his assistance the regular monitoring of the management of external borders in all European Union countries provided for in the European Border and Coast Guard Regulation will be ensured.
The Memorandum of Understanding will be signed in the near future and will identify organisational issues regarding deployment of the Liaison Officer and cooperation issues with the institutions involved related to the implementation of the Memorandum, such as the regular exchange of information on the situation, trends, potential threats at external borders, cross-border crime and terrorism as well exchange of information in the field of return.