More A total of 5,975 candidates are running for the 731 seats in the upcoming summer elections 340 lists of candidates have been submitted for the municipal elections or an average of eight lists per municipality The most intensive competition for one seat is registered in Jēkabpils municipality which means that almost 14 people are running for one seat which means that more than 12 people are standing for one seat Jūrmala has the third highest number of candidates per seat which means that more than 11 people are running for one seat The least competitive regions are Smiltene fewer than five people are standing for one seat The largest number of lists of candidates has been submitted in Riga - 16 in Jēkabpils - 13 and in Jelgava - 12 The lists and election programmes can be found on the CVK's dedicated website in an interview on Latvian Radio's "Pusdiena" programme called for early familiarisation with the candidates and programmes "It is our right and also our duty [to participate in the elections] given the geopolitical situation," Saulīte stressed or 61.4% of the total number of candidates The average age of the candidates is 47.4 years Six of the candidates have German citizenship three have British citizenship in addition to Latvian citizenship and two have US citizenship Other candidates for the municipal elections have Finnish 4832 candidates (about 81%) indicate that they are Latvian Five people indicated that they are German by nationality 682 of the candidates chose not to indicate their nationality Local elections will be held on 7 June in 42 electoral districts  There will be 974 polling stations for the local elections The stations will be available to voters starting Monday 2 June, when the election week begins and they will be open at various times each working day of the election week the stations will be open from 08:00 to 20:00 This election will be notable for featuring a new look for ballot papers Select text and press Ctrl+Enter to send a suggested correction to the editor Select text and press Report a mistake to send a suggested correction to the editor The suspects also include the deputy mayor as well as representatives of private companies The municipal officials allegedly colluded with representatives of private companies to carry out illegal activities in a public procurement procedure The Jēkabpils Dam project envisaged the reconstruction of both banks of the Daugava and the construction of flood protection infrastructure after the massive floods of 2023 which severely damaged the existing defences was co-financed up to 85% by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) with the remaining 15% financed by the national budget According to EPPO the suspects include the Mayor of Jēkabpils the Deputy Mayor and municipal councillors EPPO states that the public officials tried to influence the procurement procedure to favour pre-selected builders The EPPO also suspects that building regulations and technological requirements were violated by using low-quality and overpriced materials KNAB confirmed to Latvian Television that on 3 April criminal proceedings were carried out in Jēkabpils within the framework of the criminal proceedings initiated by the EPPO They are taking place in the framework of the criminal proceedings initiated by the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) on 3 March 2025 and transferred to KNAB as the competent authority for the pre-trial investigation KNAB refrains from disclosing and commenting further on any details of the criminal proceedings LTV reports that Ragainis' phone is switched off and the Executive Director of the Jēkabpils Regional Council Uldis Skreivers cannot be reached His deputy Anita Moskovska refused to comment Although road signs prohibit stopping and parking there drivers keen to unload and fill up their water bottles ignore them In order to reduce the likelihood of accidents the Jēkabpils regional municipal police has also begun to pay more attention to this area Many Latvians like to collect water from springs for their daily use rather than relying on store-bought bottles a belief in health-giving properties of water straight from the source is common this spring has become an issue because it is located in the middle of a populated area without suitable parking available "One accident happened right in front of my eyes A car spun around and missed an oncoming car And then there was another accident," said Jēkabpils local Pēteris Sprukts There is a parking place of sorts on the side of the road The territory of the water intake site belongs to private owners who allow access but do not want to get involved in any infrastructure issues.  "I allow free access but I don't intend to do anything more in this matter," said the owner of the territory "Latvijas Valsts ceļi" (Latvian state roads) said the possibility of installing a road sign saying "Stopping prohibited" will be evaluated Since emergency situations often arise in this area the municipal police have also been involved and this section of the road is included in the daily patrol route Two individuals have already been fined for road traffic offenses President of Latvia Egils Levits met with Prosecutor General Juris Stukāns and State Police Chief Armands Ruks to discuss how to improve the work of law enforcement institutions in ensuring the protection of victims against violence The President of Latvia emphasized that the State was fully responsible for the murder of the woman in Jēkabpils She repeatedly turned to law enforcement authorities for protection Levits pointed out that the police and the prosecutor's office had the necessary information but failed to do everything possible to protect her He stressed that identifying one “responsible person” would not in itself change the situation: “At present Even if the police had acted appropriately the tragedy would very likely still not have been averted” The President of Latvia pointed out that the Criminal Code's protection against threats and harassment (including on the internet) is currently too weak contradicts the State's duty to protect people under the Constitution President Levits believes that systemic changes in legislation are necessary The legal powers of law enforcement authorities must be extended so that they can take action not only against individual episodes of violence but the behaviour of the abuser as a whole This should also be punished more severely There should also be inter-institutional cooperation training for law enforcement officers and a change in attitudes to identify and prevent violence against women and domestic violence as a matter of urgency "Criminal justice policy should be focused first and foremost on protecting the victim not on extending the rights of the perpetrator The police need the tools and the power to provide this protection," said E The President calls on the legislator to introduce a new security measure - electronic monitoring This could be particularly effective in such cases of personal threat He also calls on the legislator to reconsider the preventive isolation of the abuser if he systematically violates the prohibition to approach the person he threatens Levits also agrees with the proposal of the Ministry of Justice to establish in the Criminal Code that criminal proceedings for violence within the circle of intimates should be dealt with as a matter of priority Your feedback will help us improve this site The construction works were carried out by SIA "Ošukalns" for EUR 1.57 million A four-kilometre-long and 2.5 metre-wide combined pedestrian and cycling road with asphalt pavement was built connecting it to the existing infrastructure in Jēkabpils and the village of Sala drainage and ditches have been built along the entire stretch.  noted that the Pelīte Bridge was restored to its historical appearance the stone walls of the bridge had partially collapsed but after assessing its technical condition load-bearing capacity and other parameters as well as architectural considerations and the history of the structure it was decided to rebuild the bridge.  The project was financed from the national budget The construction supervision was provided by SIA Teede Insenerid the project author is AS Ceļuprojekts "The aim of the training is to maintain and improve the combat skills and abilities of the National Guard for the protection of the territories of responsibility of the National Guard units," according to an official notice Training will be performed both in daylight and darkness in territories agreed upon with the Jēkabpils regional government soldiers and guards with small arms will move through the territory of Jēkabpils region Training ammunition and combat simulation equipment will be used to perform training tasks which create noise but do not in any way endanger human health and life The training venues will be cleaned after the training and local residents are asked to have an unerstanding attitude and not be alarmed by the sight of troops on the move in the area "The aim of the training is to maintain and improve the combat skills and abilities of the National Guard for the protection of the territories of responsibility of the National Guard units," said a release from the National Armed Forces January 24 Training tasks will be performed both in daylight and at night in territories agreed upon with the Jēkabpils regional government During the training military equipment and troops with small arms will move through the territory of Jēkabpils region so there is no cause for concern if you spot them which create noise but do not in any way endanger human health or life Training venues will be cleaned after training the National Guard's 22nd Combat Support Battalion will conduct military training in a forest area near Strenči The training will test not only the tactical skills of the National Guard members but also their ability to respond to emergency situations including entering bodies of water in winter conditions Troops will travel on public and forest roads in military armored vehicles No ammunition or simulated explosives will be used in the training Training for the National Guard mostly takes place on weekends when volunteers have the opportunity to devote their free time to improving practical defense skills and strengthening Latvia's security but the information currently available suggests that Rusiņš is dead The police chief did not specify the possible causes or circumstances of Rusiņš' death saying only that there was "reason to believe" that Rusiņš was no longer among the living the police do not plan to stop the search – "if a person is alive Ruks said that it is also important in this case that systemic weaknesses have been identified during the process and will be improved a woman born in 1983 was killed in Jēkabpils municipality on April 16 last year in front of her child and mother The murder was committed by her ex-husband Leons Rusiņš who had been threatening and harassing the woman for months; it was regularly reported to the police before Several police officials have lost their positions or been reprimanded.  In response to the tragic events the Saeima has significantly increased the maximum sentences for threats of killing and failure to comply with the ruling on protection against violence The maximum prison sentence for these crimes was increased from three months to three years Take note – story published 2 years and 3 months ago the water level had reached 8.92 meters above the zero point of the observation station well above the previous record levels of 40 years ago The responsible services worked throughout the night to survey flooded areas the municipality said. The water is not over the top of the dam yet but there are places where the water is seeping through gaps in flood defenses sandbags are placed in these places to stop the water from flowing. "The main thing is that the dam is not washed away," emphasized Ragainis Photo: Sintija Ambote/Latvijas RadioPhoto: Sintija Ambote/Latvijas RadioPhoto: Sintija Ambote/Latvijas RadioPhoto: Sintija Ambote/Latvijas RadioPhoto: Sintija Ambote/Latvijas RadioPhoto: Sintija Ambote/Latvijas RadioPhoto: Sintija Ambote/Latvijas RadioPhoto: Sintija Ambote/Latvijas RadioPhoto: Sintija Ambote/Latvijas Radio Latvian Radio observed that the Daugava's waters had not yet reached the high-rise buildings in the Mežrūpnieki district of the city which is among the worst-affected areas but the foundations of the neighboring private houses are already submerged. Although the area has mostly been evacuated in the early morning on Mežrūpnieki street Latvian Radio met Agnis who spent the night with his family in a flooded house he is staying on the second floor and has no plans to evacuate at the moment Gatis, said that he had almost no sleep last night because he and the residents of the district are worried about their properties and go to keep an eye on them even if they have evacuated The State Fire and Rescue Service (VUGD) informed that overnight they rescued five people from a flooded house on Mežrūpnieki street in Jēkabpils while two more people evacuated on their own Members of the public – are asked to stay away from flooded areas for their own safety and so that they do not interfere with the increasingly exhausting efforts of those fighting the floods Around noon on Saturday the municipality reported that a total of around 10 people were housed as many have traveled to other accommodation sites around 20 people have been evacuated in the rescue work of VUGD but on Friday seven people refused to evacuate from their already flooded homes the local government asked residents to evacuate from the left and right coast of Daugava within the city as well as from the area between Remberti and Punu Manor LETA reported that there were more cars in town on Saturday morning than usual on Saturdays The electricity distribution network Sadales tīkls reported on Saturday that in order to ensure the safety of the population electricity has been temporarily switched off to 189 customers in flood-affected areas of Jēkabpils and Jēkabpils municipalities Mobile operator LMT said on Twitter that power problems could also affect the availability of mobile voice communications and the Internet.  Rīgas Street is closed for traffic from Palejas to Dārza Street Also closed traffic is on Brīvības Street from Old Town Square to Rūdolfa Blaumaņa Street Anyone needing help can contact the Jēkabpils municipal police on 65283888 or 25907965 function () { LSM.articles.prepareVideoWithCover('vc-6964-2023-01-929682'); });Jēkabpilī cīņa ar Daugavas plūdiem2min At the scene of the murder on an outlying rural road and an earring found by De Facto's cameraman remain. Yet the history of the case makes everyone think why Rusiņš had been free all this time The first criminal proceedings against Rusiņš for violating the court's ruling on temporary protection against violence namely ignoring his restraining order were initiated by the police a year and a half ago and combined with another criminal case for the same article the case was handed over to the prosecutor's office and in December the case came to the Zemgale District Court in Jēkabpils The first hearing was actually held only a year ago the court had to take a decision on Rusiņš' forced arrival Rusiņš did not show up to the next court hearing on February 8 so the court applied custody as a security measure to him and suspended the proceedings until he was found the court has taken all procedural steps to ensure that criminal cases are examined the State Police has not taken the necessary procedural action,” wrote Līga Ašmane De Facto found that Rusiņš could have been announced wanted earlier as he failed to arrive to court twice in January Another hearing had been scheduled for April 17 which combines eight episodes of non-compliance with the separation ruling Nearly at the same time as the case was reached in Zemgale District Court in September Rusiņš came out of the central prison of Rīga where he had been in temporary detention imposed by the court for 25 days This was the only judgment where the penalty had actually been imposed “The court agrees with the view expressed by the prosecutor on the nature of the sentence — temporary deprivation of liberty But the court doesn't agree with the prosecutor's view on the punishment in which the defendant is accused of three analogous criminal offenses there is no legal basis to take this into account when imposing a sentence in this case taking into account the personality of the accused the nature of the criminal offense in question and the absence of aggravating circumstances acknowledges that the penalty may be set below the average The Court acknowledges that such a measure of punishment will be proportionate in order to deter and protect the public from new infringements." in the following paragraph of this judgment Rusiņš is described as follows: one of the grounds for custody was that the defendant committed a new criminal offense only five days after being released from custody Rusiņš was convicted of violating the restraining order by coming to the victim's house in August 2022 He had come to the house and called her son but when the child's mother began filming it from the balcony Rusiņš allegedly created a number of profiles on social media that he used to insult the woman, her relatives and colleagues.De Facto found at least a dozen such profiles the author of which was most likely to have been Rusiņš In comments to the Latvian Television story about the killing the deceased woman's acquaintance had published a screenshot of messages between herself and the victim “All that is written there [on the social media profiles] is fiction and does not correspond to the truth the Jēkabpils police are powerless against him [..] The police have heaps of reports about him I don't know why nothing is done to stop him I've realized there's nothing the police will do,” wrote Rusiņš' victim Jēkabpils Austrumlatgale police station chief Rolands Bērziņš believes everything had been done with the best conscience but it was provided by the Chief of the Zemgale Police Office who said that they had used the tools they had.  A service inspection has been launched at the by the Chief of State Police Armands Ruks to assess whether the police did their work properly and to seek systemic solutions chief prosecutor of the District of Zemgale Court Prosecutor has also undertaken to assess whether Rusiņš' many criminal offenses were investigated without seeing the overall picture: “Here I also see the biggest problem – not a specific criminal process should be seen And I suppose if [..] the management of this investigative body would come together with the prosecutor's office and think about how to proceed in a situation that is very atypical I suppose there might be a different result I cannot say whether that man would have behaved better at least [..] those proceedings which handed over to the court in 2021 and the other in 2022 would have already been viewed – with deprivation of liberty He also agrees that cases of infringement of the interim protection decision should be examined without delay The fact that this year there was still no judgment on the restraining order case of 2021 "does not indicate effectiveness" Take note – story published 3 years and 11 months ago Latvia is a country at a crossroads in many different senses: home to diverse religions a small city straddling the Daugava River 150 kilometres southeast of Riga Old Believers from Russia fleeing persecution and merchants and craftsman from all over pot pourri of church steeples and atmospheric old town streets attest to people getting along and enriching each other It’s also the point where the regions of Vidzeme Latgale and less-well-known Sēlija meet up a fruit salad of various Latvian identities You would think that this mosaic would be the ace of the city’s cultural branding bid a Riga-based consultant who has drafted Jēkabpils’ cultural programme for its European Capital of Culture bid and who was presented to us as the city’s spokesperson for 2027 issues but it has its difficulties,” he says “Jēkabpils has nice flower gardens and squares but we want to use the European Capital of Culture bid to address problems of a cultural nature.” but few people feel an affinity with the Jelgava-centred province Some locals view it as the gateway to Latgale which has its own unique dialect and traditions (though confusingly Selians have never regarded the city as their own) Then there’s the fact that for many centuries the town of Krustpils on the right bank of the river was under the control of different states to that of Jēkabpils on the left bank with the two only being administratively unified in 1962 Kārlis believes the two halves still act like separate entities He argues that there are many cities in Europe with split personalities and Jēkabpils could set an example by analysing these rifts anthropologists and philosophers will be invited to come and shed some light “How do residents feel about this in the long term?” he asks “We have more and more globalisation and urbanisation and what effect does this have on culture and traditions?” you get the feeling it’s not much to go on as an argument for being European Capital of Culture The emphasis on diversity as a problem rather than a goldmine for creative exploration seems negative Perhaps a visit to Berlin would reveal how a place can embrace its contradictions and fractures rather than forcing them into neat boxes Kārlis could not reveal details about any actual cultural events planned for 2027 nor could he elaborate on how surrounding Jēkabpils County would benefit from the city's urban self-examination Jēkabpils’ promenade along the Daugava is a big space crying out for dancers sculptors and buskers to strut their stuff Put away the clipboards and just let them dream we also spoke to a native of the city who has seen the world and then come home then spent most of her childhood and teenage years in Jēkabpils She continued her education in Rēzekne and Daugavpils then travelled to many countries as a tour group leader she returned to Jēkabpils to raise her daughter and care for her ageing parents She admits it is difficult to pin down the local identity while people north of the river or with relatives in Latgale emphatically look east But there’s no animosity between the different halves of the metropolis with many residents living on one side and crossing to go to work on the other “What is a Latvian”?” she muses “We’re such a mixture that there’s not much sense arguing over who belongs where.”  Anita is the director of “Zvaigznīte,” the largest preschool in the county with over 400 kids and 80 staff under her wing She’s pleased that earlier linguistic divisions seem to have healed And many other young families are following her example and relocating to Jēkabpils “I used to doubt that I’d ever come back – you think everything happens in Riga or further afield,” she confesses “But when you see what a family-friendly city this is with a clean environment and all kinds of activities Anita thinks the key to the local mentality comes from the animal kingdom Duke Jacob of Courland bagged a lynx during a hunting trip to the area and the beast adorns the Jēkabpils coat of arms and numerous sculptures and is the mascot of the champion local volleyball team and we have learned to be flexible to survive,” she says Anita’s top five Jēkabpils attractions this was the favourite gathering place for locals to admire the annual Christmas tree or ooh and ah at the New Year fireworks It’s still an attractive if less crowded spot with public artworks and lovely landscaping to mark each season “If the old town square is like the city’s heart the castle symbolizes our brain,” says Anita This magnificently restored pile has eight centuries of history to ponder as well as interesting exhibits on local history Did you know that the first ever Latvian hot air balloon pilot Kārlis Skaubītis was born in Krustpils Speaking of daring feats at high altitudes 50 couples in 50 different balloons were simultaneously wedded in the skies above Jēkabpils The “forest park” was established in the 1960s to protect the city from quarry dust and is today a hive of fun for the whole family play a round of disc golf or just chill at the picnic tables  this is like Sigulda is for Riga folks - it’s our lungs and arteries,”” Anita enthuses about this lovely spot an easy bike ride out of town The beautiful valley by the Daugava is especially captivating in autumn colours but the timber sculptures and impressive 40 m3 boulder are year-round attractions This pretty country church south of Jēkabpils was desecrated by the Soviet regime local volunteers and restorers from the Riga Art and Media Technical School have performed meticulous restoration work turning the interior into a breathtaking work of art.  As well as religious services once the pandemic ends it will also be a concert venue Take note – story published 1 year and 7 months ago The reconstruction agreement is the biggest contract in the history of Jēkabpils said Raivis Ragainis (Latvian Green Party) Chairman of Jēkabpils Municipality Council The total cost of the works is EUR 16,931,289 The President acknowledged that the government had responded “very quickly” and thanks to support in raising funding the municipality was able to conclude this agreement Chairman of the Board of Jēkabpils PMK Ltd Māris Dimants said that the project will be complex and challenging due to meteorological conditions but the reconstruction will not only make the dam safe but also visually attractive Construction work is planned to start within the next two weeks and will take place in several stages at the same time The largest amount of work is planned on the left bank of Daugava at a length of 5.1 kilometers Of the total eligible costs of the project EUR 16,931,290 European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) financing is EUR 14,391,596 EUR 1,898,347 is co-financing of the State budget and EUR 641,347 – co-financing of the local government Take note – story published 1 year and 2 months ago the VUGD received information from the municipality of Jēkabpils that two people needed to be evacuated from a house in Krustpils Parish As they made their way to the flooded area fire rescuers found a meadow and a road about one kilometer long had flooded between the driveway and the residential home Photo: Sintija Ambote / Latvijas RadioPhoto: Sintija Ambote / Latvijas RadioPhoto: Sintija Ambote / Latvijas RadioPhoto: Sintija Ambote / Latvijas RadioPhoto: Sintija Ambote / Latvijas RadioPhoto: Sintija Ambote / Latvijas RadioPhoto: Sintija Ambote / Latvijas Radio Firefighters made it by boat to the building and brought people to safety VUGD is urging residents in at-risk areas to keep an eye on the development of the situation and be prepared to evacuate The situation can change rapidly during flooding and is highly unpredictable call them regularly and remind them of the need to evacuate if the situation or household conditions deteriorate rapidly the VUGD has so far evacuated six people from flooded areas on Thursday Water levels have fallen by about 70 centimeters on Tuesday when water levels reached the highest mark in the Daugava near Jēkabpils in recent decades the water level begins to slide below the seven-meter mark It still remains above the orange alert criterion of 6.6 meters above the station's zero point Evacuation has been stopped on the left bank of the Daugava in Jēkabpils As the stream of water crumbled and melted the ice part of the river in Jēkabpils has been released from ice masses The expected increase in water levels in the Daugava upstream from Jēkabpils has not yet begun At Zeļķi and Pļaviņas water levels fluctuate and are below the peak reached at the beginning of the year Rivers have flooded in many places in Latvia while water levels in the eastern part of the country are still expected to increase in the coming days the Jēkabpils regional hospital launched an emergency response mode based on information provided by the Civil Protection Commission on flood hazards 33 Jēkabpils regional hospital patients were transferred to hospitals in Rēzekne the agency LETA was informed by the Emergency Medical Service (NMPD) Meņģelsone said that this weekend was "a very big test for our services and for the management of Jēkabpils Hospital […] as to how prepared we are for this situation The conclusion is that there was a peaceful balanced and timely evacuation from the hospital "If there were 138 patients with varying degrees of severity on Friday at [Jēkabpils Hospital] It was a very important lesson for us to analyze A good example of how services work with local government and national guards On Monday, full work was restored at the Jēkabpils regional hospital hospital representative Ervīns Keišs told Latvian Radio Rēzekne and Aizkraulkle hospitals on Friday due to flood risks Take note – story published 1 year and 8 months ago Jēkabpils residents continue their normal daily life while the murdered woman's mother and children continue to receive the help provided by specialists in order to recover from the ordeal.  President Rinkēvičs has strongly suggested to the government to grant compensation to each child worth at least 50 thousand euros but it the matter is still to be decided Leons Rusiņš killed his former spouse with an ax in front of her mother and child The victim's pleas for help in the weeks and months before her murder were to no avail and the killing initially prompted shock then a long-running debate about how the harassed can be better protected from psychological and physical threats But still the most wanted man in the country has not been found. In the interests of the investigation the State Police refrained from further comments to Latvian Radio only stating in writing that the search for the man is still in full swing and that a team of professionals from the State Police Zemgale Regional Office the Main Criminal Police Office of the State Police and the Prosecutor's Office are working on this case.  A common assumption is that Rusiņš might have killed himself after committing the murder but no evidence in support of this hypothesis has been provided Meanwhile in Jēkabpils, everyday life continues and residents do not show any particular concern that the murder suspect still has not been found according to opinions canvassed by Latvian Radio Latvian Radio: Do ​​you feel safe?  I think that maybe he ran away somewhere to Russia or somewhere else Resident of Jēkabpils: "I think he is definitely somewhere in Germany or somewhere away I think that he will hide in the same way." Resident of Jēkabpils: "At least I feel safe Let's hope there won't be anything to say." Jēkabpils visitor: "I've only come to visit I've followed what's happening on the Internet the murdered woman's mother and children are trying to recover from the ordeal The mother of the victim has suffered serious health problems and the children are also having to deal with difficult emotions a social worker of the Jēkabpils Region Social Service explained that the family is being provided with all kinds of support the family was the recipient of social assistance and services They are mainly in the form of psychological consultations As well as consultations of social workers on various situations how to form new routines," Gādmane said The social service added that the children live in a family environment but refrained from providing more information in order to protect the family from intrusion not only from wider society but potentially even from Rusiņš himself as he is still at large It would not be desirable for society to discuss publicly everything that happened how to continue living now," Gādmane said Anyone with information about the possible whereabouts of Leons Rusiņš should contact the State Police on telephone number 110 or if calling from another country, +371 67014002 The water level in the Daugava near Jēkabpils at 4:50 in the morning was 7.66 meters above the zero mark of the observation station - approximately one-and-a-half meters higher than the day before and four meters higher than on January 1 Hydrologists predict that water levels in the Daugava at Jēkabpils will approach or even exceed the red-grade alert criterion - 8.4 meters above the station's zero point.  The red alert means that there is a high chance for significant damage to a large area and that human life may be endangered Residents need to take action: emergency measures and evacuations should be prepared information and guidance provided by the responsible authorities should be followed Red alert in Jēkabpils municipality has been announced until Friday Around 270 children attend the Krustpils Secondary School Last year the rural Varieši Primary School was added to it and the education process takes place in two buildings with over 200 children in Krustpils and around 50 in Varieši If the new teacher wage funding model is introduced the school will be subject to quantitative criteria for urban schools - the school must have 360 pupils in the first nine forms to receive public funding Jēkabpils City Council has decided to address the issue by changing the school's legal address to Varieši the local government would have to set aside 260 thousand euros a year to maintain the school The final decision will still have to be made by Members this Thursday but the Coalition has already agreed on this the Ministry of Education and Science has a different view. Education Minister's advisor Ramona Urtāne said that she is sad about the "municipality's reluctance to work towards an efficient school network" there are similar ideas in several other municipalities “There are municipalities where the registered office for schools is the address of the City Council and it is clear that there is no learning happening there So let's register the actual addresses,” Urtāne said in a statement adding that the Jēkabpils City Council's plan to circumvent the rules will not work Urtāne pointed out that the quantitative criterion is only one of the indicators to be taken into account in municipalities Local authorities must now make substantial efforts to clean up the network and if they can justify the vital importance of a particular educational institution for the municipality they will continue to receive public funding even once the new conditions have entered into force The Sakas island in the Daugava was still under water on Tuesday but now the consequences of the flooding are seen: the road is torn up and there is a great deal of damage to the surrounding area Photo: Ivans Milovs/Latvijas TelevīzijaPhoto: Ivans Milovs/Latvijas TelevīzijaPhoto: Ivans Milovs/Latvijas TelevīzijaPhoto: Ivans Milovs/Latvijas Televīzija this is not the only place where damage is revealed only after water levels fell.  people are returning to the previously flooded homes Evacuation has also been canceled in the city and people may return to their homes and some have suffered such damage that returns before repairs are impossible “Today one family came from those homes and it could be half a year [until they can return] Then we let them choose from the service apartments that are available to us,” Jēkabpils Mayor Raivis Ragainis said where the Daugava had previously got through the dam “The water here rose very quickly and flowed into neighboring areas along lower places Where there used to be a small river like a ditch the water was basically up to the center of the city With so much capacity basically [for pumping] it will take several days for it to go away because the area has really been flooded At least 3-4 days,” said Commander Artūrs Dārziņš of the VUGD Jēkabpils Division Photo: Latvijas TelevīzijaPhoto: Latvijas TelevīzijaPhoto: Latvijas TelevīzijaPhoto: Latvijas TelevīzijaPhoto: Latvijas Televīzija entrepreneurs in the old town of Jēkabpils which was one of the most threatened areas are gradually returning to the normal pace of work Some of them had not stopped their business at the weekend but they felt a sharp drop in customer numbers and a large part of entrepreneurs have also purchased water pumps “It happened so quickly that we couldn't react We were very hopeful that the water would not reach the height of the photographs at least,” said Ivars The gallery is located in Jēkabpils' old town The nearby dam can be seen through its window of course, taking responsibility for the people who come to visit the exhibition it's a very big responsibility,” Ivars said The basements in the gallery are full of water clothing and craft shops in the old town of Jēkabpils a large part of the businesses were already working Many had not stopped their work at the weekend either when the flood situation was very dangerous The basements in the old town are still flooded company employees said they had managed to save the goods Nor does anyone currently intend to stop their business temporarily They plan to work as normal, responding accordingly if necessary The municipality of Jēkabpils indicates that the situation in Jēkabpils is still dangerous, but stable. Extensive areas are flooding. Strengthening of the dam continued overnight. Evacuations have been ongoing from areas most in danger Photo: Dāvids Freidenfelds / LTVPhoto: Dāvids Freidenfelds / LTVPhoto: Dāvids Freidenfelds / LTVPhoto: Dāvids Freidenfelds / LTVPhoto: Dāvids Freidenfelds / LTVPhoto: Dāvids Freidenfelds / LTVPhoto: Dāvids Freidenfelds / LTVPhoto: Dāvids Freidenfelds/Latvijas TelevīzijaPhoto: Dāvids Freidenfelds / LTV The local government has attracted a hydro engineer which together with the management of the local government and other responsible specialists as well as advises on ways of preventing flood hazards and other responsible specialists also continued their work on Saturday night and Sunday morning The highest water level – 8.92 meters above zero point – was reached at the Jēkabpils observation station on Saturday around noon 9 AM It was just five centimeters below the 1981 spring flood record Rain causes water levels to rise in most rivers Yellow alert on high water levels in rivers is in force across the whole country orange warning is in force at the Pļaviņas water reservoir red warning in the Daugava in Jēkabpils municipality has been extended until 14:00 Monday the Jēkabpils dam that protected the city from floods began to be breached but it was secured in the most dangerous spot Evacuation is ongoing from the flooded areas of the city.  Taking into account the development of the situation in Jēkabpils Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš called a crisis management meeting on Sunday Kariņš said there was no need to declare a state of emergency in Jēkabpils and emphasized that the head of the regional municipality was doing excellent work in organizing necessary measures but that the Crisis Management Council is ready to react and make further decisions quickly if necessary The Prime Minister stressed that it is important for residents to follow the instructions of the municipality especially regarding evacuation. The instructions are based on clear calculations and the danger that could come in the event of a dam failure that would seriously damage infrastructure Residents are advised to follow official updates on social media an updated map of affected areas and evacuation zones was published (see below) The local municipality said that "For three days from 16.01.2023 until 18.01.2023 educational institutions affected by the flood zone will be closed" People needing evacuation from affected areas can call 29206072 to arrange a pick-up Although the water level is still very high on Monday the city will start pumping some out, the Mayor of Jēkabpils municipality Raivis Ragainis told Latvian Television on Monday morning at 5:00 the water level at the Jēkabpils observation station was 8.24 meters above zero point The highest water level - 8.92 meters - was reached on Saturday at around 9 and it was just five centimeters below the 1981 spring flood record the water level in the Daugava at Jēkabpils has reduced slowly but steady it fell by one centimeter per hour, by two centimeters per hour Jēkabpils Mayor Ragainis stated on the situation: "Water levels have fallen by about 45 centimeters per day The Mayor noted that water pumping jobs could be started in the city on Monday let's start work on releasing a part of the city from the water If the specialists say the sewer is able to accept the mass required then perhaps let's decide that in one part of the city people will be able to return to their homes.” work on strengthening the protective dam of Jēkabpils is ongoing Ragainis explained: “The dam is carefully fortified throughout the day Ragainis said that the “peak hour” in the city has passed Jēkabpils Regional Hospital will decide whether to restore the full amount of work The hospital's outpatient department continues to work in its usual routine patients in critical condition were transferred to other medical facilities Schools in Jekabpils will be closed for three days The municipality management has taken such a decision to reduce the flow of people into the city and to limit movements in the flooded areas the level of water in the Daugava at Jēkabpils had fallen to the mark of 8.17 meters The highest point – 8.92 meters above the zero point of the observation station – was reached on Saturday when the municipality of Jēkabpils asked residents to evacuate immediately from flood-threatened areas In the municipality's statement to residents Ragainis said that residents of the right coastal district of the Daugava – Dārzu Rīgas and Krasta Street – may return home Specialists say that on the right bank of Daugava the safety of the sewer system and drinking water is fully guaranteed On the other hand, on the left bank of the Daugava the local government cannot yet allow residents of Zvanītāju and Celtnieku streets to return to their homes in the near future in cooperation with local government specialists decide on the way in which the water will be released back to Daugava from the upper part of the city – Lauktehnikas Bebru and Mežrūpnieku districts – return will also be possible to the residents of these areas the situation with ice congestion in the Jēkabpils municipality is still very dangerous The dam has suffered badly and hydrologists and builders are working on reinforcing it.  There is virtually no threat of flooding in the city of Jēkabpils and upstream LVGMC hydrologist Līga Klints confirmed in an interview with Latvian Radio that the situation outside Jēkabpils is improving The red alert hasn't been lifted in the area fir the coming hours specialists will better see what happens in the river “Water levels have started to drop quite sharply in the last hour.  Floods are beginning to recede It should be noted that not all water goes back to the river because it can stay in lower places So the situation at the Zeļķi is improving water levels are not dangerous,” said Klints In an interview with LTV's “Rīta Panorāma” Chairman of Jēkabpils municipality Council Raivis Ragainis (Latvian Green Party) said: “It looks like the craziest [..] is behind us. The ice tail that was downstream of Zeļķi has also started to move then the water [level] is most likely to fall today.” Take note – story published 1 year and 3 months ago Leons Rusiņš murdered his former spouse in front of their child and her mother Rusiņš has still not been found He had been stalking and threatening the woman for months and repeatedly reported The case triggered internal police investigations regarding whether all had been done in accordance with regulation the chief of the police station responsible for the area lost his job Now, evaluating the materials and criminal proceedings in which Leons Rusiņš was indicated as the possibly guilty person in the murder of his former spouse the disciplinary punishment – reduction of the monthly salary – has been applied to the Prosecutor of the Prosecutor's Office of East Zemgale regarding violations of the requirements of the Law of the Prosecutor's Office. In accordance with the Law of the public Prosecutor's Office this is the second harshest type of punishment in a particular case timeliness of the actions of the responsible officers of the Prosecutor's Office in the performance of their duties It is concluded that the public prosecutor did not accurately comply with the procedural legal norms and also committed violations of the requirements of the Law of the Public Prosecutor's Office The action of a public prosecutor has not complied with one of the basic principles of criminal proceedings – mandatory criminal proceedings which impose an obligation on an official authorized to perform criminal proceedings within the scope of its competence to commence criminal proceedings and bring them to the equitable resolution of criminal legal relations provided for in the Criminal Law in any case when the reason and basis for commencing criminal proceedings have become known The violations of the law committed by the public prosecutor shall be assessed together with the fact that the public Prosecutor's Office is a judicial authority which independently performs supervision regarding compliance with the law within the scope of the competence specified in the Law on the Public Prosecutor's Office a public prosecutor must comply with the requirements of laws and regulations and it is not permissible for a public prosecutor to commit violations of law himself or herself The prestige of the public prosecutor's office as well as public confidence in the judiciary as a whole has seriously suffered in the particular situation several families have already been evacuated the residents of Pļaviņas once again stare at the ice mountains and ask whether they are dangerous Although an orange alert has been issued in the city there is no forecast of major flooding here The River Saka near Jēkabpils is fast Saka Bridge quakes as another chunk of ice breaks up against the bridge support The municipal police shoo away the curious People say the big mountain of ice didn't appear until this morning Weatherman Toms Bricis has come to see what the situation is like.  "The orange alert means water levels have reached such a level that flooding is already taking place but the good news – the river is clean by the border with Belarus," said Bricis So there should no longer be congestion and ice should move within the next few days.  “There shouldn't be very big flooding There is no extra mass,“ adds Bricis Bricis predicts local flooding will continue throughout Latvia: "Individual homes and roads will be flooded Those traveling to the countryside on holiday should take into account that many places have wet and undrivable roads." Local governments urge curious people not to come watch the ice At 07:09 in the morning call was received to Viestura Street in Jēkabpils where smoke had developed in a two-storey public building representative of the State Fire and Rescue Service (VUGD) firefighters found that items were burning in the basement of the building as well as damage to the building's structures Rescuers' work at the scene concluded at 12:56 LETA was informed by the State Police that a commercial center employee – a man born in 1969 – lost his life in the fire commander of the Jēkabpils unit of the VUGD confirmed to LETA that the heating boiler may have exploded in the shopping center walls collapsed in the basement and panels shifted on the 1st floor so the operation of the building was suspended Cvilikovskis also said the causes of the explosion will still be investigated by the State Police as well as the building will be reviewed by building authority experts to determine the extent of the damage and the potential danger Take note – story published 1 year and 9 months ago "This year Latvia has been shaken by a tragedy when a person did not get protected by the state and lost her life The murder committed on April 16 in Jēkabpils highlighted the state's inability to protect its people The state has not been able to protect the highest value of democratic society – life," the letter of the President stated The President of the State draws attention to the fact that the Law on State compensation for victims provides a natural person who has been recognized as a victim in accordance with the procedures specified in the Criminal Procedure Law with the right to receive State compensation for moral physical suffering or loss caused by an intentional criminal offense.  "I call on the Cabinet to grant adequate and proportionate compensation regardless of the status of these persons in criminal proceedings It is important to take into account both the duty of the State resulting from Section 93 of the Constitution and the international commitment of Latvia to act in order to protect human life as well as the requirement of Section 110 of the Constitution that the State particularly helps children who have remained without parental care or suffered from violence I believe that the minimum compensation for each of these persons should be at least EUR 50,000 This amount is proportional to other cases in which the state is obliged to pay for the damage caused by its inability to fulfil its duty and to protect human life,” stated the letter from the President The President of the State requests the development of appropriate Cabinet legislation which would specify the amount to which persons and the procedures for which refunds are granted and paid Leons Rusiņš stabbed his former partner and mother of his children to death in front of her mother and child Rusiņš had previously harassed and stalked the victim for months It is presumed he might have committed suicide but no evidence supporting that assumption has been found.  on Delfi.lv's broadcast Kāpēc ar Olgu Dragiļevu Chief of State Police Armands Ruks said that there were individuals who had not cooperated with the police in perpetrator Leons Rusiņš' search process He also confirmed that Bērziņš would lose his position and relations with Rusiņš were not specified by the police chief “misled and did not provide any information about him here in Latvia” who has been wanted the national level since September last year Active search activities are ongoing at national and international levels has failed to prove himself professionally The Internal Security Bureau (IDB) has also launched an investigation into the case over the alleged failure to act by the State police officials On Friday at 4:50 water level in Daugava at Jekabpils reached 8.14 meters above the zero point of the observation station according to the operational information of the Latvian Environment The previous highest mark was 7.79 meters Thursday morning; in the middle of the day Zaula said that the water level in Daugava on Friday exceeds the record reached more than 40 years ago Representatives of the municipality have indicated that the dam protects up to approximately nine meters of water from major floods in the city The dam started to give in on Friday afternoon but it is being fixed right away Evacuation has been announced in one neighborhood.  which has protected us from potential floods for years showed this time that it is not so durable The rescue of the dam is currently underway so the evacuation of the population from one in the suburbs from the Orthodox monastery to the city bus park "This neighborhood is currently under threat because there is significant damage to the dam which can at any time turn into a serious stream of water national guardsmen all performed their jobs The responsible services are working constantly all the time," said Jēkabpils Mayor Raivis Ragainis Several schools have been closed as of Friday The State Fire and Rescue Service said on social media that residents should be prepared to evacuate and try to save as much property as possible by moving items to upper floors and packing an evacuation bag with personal documents gas and heating must be disconnected.  Those who need evacuation will be picked up by "Evacuation buses" on Auseklīša Street 4a ❗️ Evakuējoties jāņem dokumenti, mobilais telefons, ikdienā lietojami medikamenti un finanšu līdzekļi. Mājoklī jāatslēdz elektrība, gāzes un apkures ierīce! https://t.co/WwqYpakw8Y Water levels continue to fall slowly at the Zeļķu bridge and Daugava and the situation in Pļaviņas has not changed Take note – story published 2 years and 6 months ago there are still a lot of unknowns about the actual process and calculations of costs as highlighted at a meeting organized recently by the Ministry of Defense with local residents Although the Ministry of Defense held the meeting with residents during working hours the hall of the Seces Culture House was full. Entrepreneurs hunters and others who are likely to be affected by the plan to build the Selija military zone had many questions It is planned to expropriate 12 real estate plots in the first round of construction. The owners are in the dark as to how this will happen and how the amount of compensation will be calculated a member of the board of the 'Gambija' hunting club pointed out the investments already made by members: "We currently have a house that has been renovated And what will be the compensation for this – it is not clear whether we can or cannot arrange a new place for it." Residents whose real estate is located next to the planned military zone are also worried Tālis Bērziņš is worried that living next to a firing range will negatively affect property prices: "A military zone That's an aspect I don't hear any kind of comment about Forest owner Gita Millere also has many questions: "We have forests Today there was already talk about compensation but in the long term we do not know how it will be Since our property is right on the border [of the current plans] it's also not clear if we're going to be affected in the final stages or not I can't really see why certain plots of land that have arcs and curves that are included in the polygon that's going to be there The Ministry of Defense says that those owners whose plots of land are outside the territory of the military zone should prove that the value of their land will decrease as a result of the zone's construction. Only then could they claim compensation. On the other hand those whose properties are included in the expropriation list will be paid appropriate compensation if he has invested some financial resources he can come and certify that it has been done The aim in this process is to ensure that the owner can obtain an equivalent property for the compensation we pay both during expansion of the Ādaži military zone and the Skrunda military zone. There were no cases where there were very big disagreements," said State Secretary of the Ministry of Defense Jānis Garisons Foreclosures could begin in a few months. "We will start moving [parliamentary] bill forward we could start negotiations at the beginning of next year But the owners have already been in contact we have been talking to them since August," said Garisons As previously reported by LSM the new Selija military zone will occupy an area of ​​approximately 25,000 hectares in the Jēkabpils and Aizkraukle regions Much of the land is already held by the state but approximately one thousand hectares currently belong to companies and private owners Construction is expected to take place around two years Flooding in south-central Latvia has exceeded records and have led to preparations for mass evacuations less than a fortnight after Estonia's southern neighbor was hit by similarly severe floods A combination of heavy rain and a thaw arising from the unusually mild winter has led to the Daugava River to rise to its highest level in 40 years as of Friday, LSM reports on its English-language page with the city of Jekabpils seeing school closures public transport service cuts and road restrictions while a large-scale evacuation is not out of the question A third-level (of three) meteorological warning has been issued in the Jekabpils district while flood risk on the Daugava and Latvia's other major rivers may last through to spring Much of the focus is on a protective embankment the situation would turn out worse than it already is in Jekabpils where flooding has already hit basements in some cases Rescue services in Latvia said local residents in affected zones should evacuate in good time switching off the electricity and gas as they go while drinking water quality should also be monitored Local governments are set to provide temporary shelter also While levels started to subside on Thursday they have since risen overnight into Friday the Daugava had reached the 8.14-meter mark above zero at Jekabils while local residents told ERR's Latvia correspondent Ragnar Kond that they had not seen water levels this high One resident spoke of a parked car which was almost completely submerged while pumps set up have been overwhelmed by the volume of meltwater and ice The embankment reportedly protects Jekabpils from flooding up to a maximum of 9m above the zero mark the weather forecast suggests colder weather next week since that is forecast to be followed by another thaw the issue could remain through the rest of winter No emergency situation has been declared yet though authorities have asked the public to stay away from the affected areas if they have no business there in order not to impede rescuers in their work Floods at the beginning of the year in Adaži near Riga and lying on the Gauja River Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update! 0)" class="article-poll-disclaimer" ng-bind="totalVotes + ' hääletajat'"> {{option.votes}} {{selectedLanguage.poll.votes}}/ Iga kasutaja võib hääletada {{poll.optionLimit}} vastusevariandi poolt MONDAY, JANUARY 16, 2023 PlayLoading... Residents of a Latvian town were on high alert on Saturday as a mass of ice slowly moving along a local river threatened to flood a dam built to protect their homes.Officials have been warning of the creeping threat for several days in Jekabpils, a town about 120km southeast of the capital Riga on the Daugava river with around 21,000 residents. The river usually freezes over in winter until spring, but instead has produced an icy mass which is pushing water levels up as well as putting pressure on the dam. The situation is stable but still dangerous, local officials said on Sunday (January 15). On Saturday, residents watched the ice slowly move downstream from a walkway on top of the dam. "I won’t deny it is very worrying", said businessman Martins Lauva, who had returned to the town to encourage his family to move to a safer location. He pointed to climate change as the cause of the phenomenon, which weather experts have also said was caused by swings in temperature. "Here we are – in January, endangered by floods. This is the most definitely an anomaly of nature." Latvia was among several European countries seeing record-high January temperatures at the start of the month. January 1 saw a high of 11.7 degrees Celsius (53 degrees Fahrenheit) according to the LSM news portal run by Latvia's public broadcaster. Some outlying areas upstream of the town have already flooded, as they are not protected by the dam. Residents have been advised to evacuate if they can, and a shelter has been opened in a local school for those who choose to do so. Emergency services and Latvia's Home Guard have been called in to help pump water away from flooded areas and shore up the dam with sandbags. Jekabpils mayor Raivis Ragainis said he feared what would happen if the dam broke and the ice flowed into the town, saying it would be a wave that "goes like a bulldozer and wipes away everything". "It is not about whether we hide on the second floor or we live on the ground floor, or we managed to escape, it would just push away the houses", Ragainis said. Water levels had dropped on Sunday but remain critically high, at 30 centimetres (12 inches) above the level considered dangerous, LSM reported. Latvia's government held a crisis meeting on Sunday morning to discuss the situation. U-Tapao Airport and Eastern Aviation City project to sign on June 18 US puts sanctions on Myanmar warlord and militia linked to cyber scams 10 mild quakes recorded in Myanmar, northern and northeastern Thailand on Tuesday BMA clears THB 37 billion Green Line debt; Remaining amount pending legal decisions Thai businesses shift to liquidity-preservation mode amid economic uncertainty and cash crunch Latvians from all over the country are trying to help Jekabpils with sandbags and equipment being sent and €30,000 and counting raised on the donation website for those affected by the flooding Mobile phone connections are being restored and secured and LMT has brought a separate base station from Riga to provide crisis support communications "Winter used to be winter and spring used to be spring a quarter of a century ago we keep wondering if it's winter or not." Jekabpils resident Aleksandrs said I'm going to see my mother and grandmother in the hopes of convincing them to relocate to a safer location," Martins There have been efforts to fortify the dam and water and ice have not yet completely destroyed the dam there is no sign of a quick improvement and drift ice continues to obstruct the water flow for up to 25 kilometers It is an avalanche that destroys everything," Raivis Ragainis Many have questioned why the nearby Plavinas hydroelectric power facility does not lower the water level by opening its locks because it would not bring relief to Jekabpils but would exacerbate the situation even in Plavinas "It is not up to politicians to open or close anything It is an engineering issue," Latvian Prime Minister Krišjanis Karinš said What is happening in Jekabpils is a local disaster and the government declaring a state of emergency would not help to resolve it the prime minister confirmed after a meeting of the state crisis council "Our country's laws and governance are highly developed all of our services are effective and organized There is no need to declare a broader state of emergency to handle the situation at this time," Karinš explained There is still a problem with people who refuse to evacuate and attempt to live on top floors as their last resort The police confirm that they can maintain law and order even in flooded areas where properties are standing empty 34 individuals have had to be rescued because they refused to evacuate," Martin Baltmanis deputy chief of the Latvian State Fire and Rescue Service adding that schools and shops are now closed for three days in the risk areas On 12 May Jēkabpils received a thick layer of snow upwards to 7 cm Some tree branches broke under the weight of snow which is almost unbelievable for this time of year Latvia: Latvian authorities on Sunday urged residents of certain central areas to evacuate their homes in response to the worst flooding the Baltic state has seen in decades "It will be near impossible to get you out from among the ice cold sludge once it rushes into your homes," Raivis Ragainis Particularly exposed are Jekabpils and the town of Plavinas and surrounding areas where the flow of the Daugava river has been blocked by pack ice that drifted in from Belarus "Chunks of ice and torrents of ice-cold water rapidly took over our city," Jekabpils resident Maris Kodols told AFP "These are the worst floods since 1981," he said adding that current water levels are just five centimetres (two inches) below that year's all-time record Soldiers on a Military amphibia make their way through flooded areas in Jekabpils A new dam was built 10 years ago as a precautionary measure but it began to crumble Saturday under the pressure of the ice Several excavators were deployed to strengthen the dam with fresh piles of sandbags on Sunday but the situation remains tense," Ragainis "There is no guarantee that it will withstand the extreme circumstances," he added Rescuers had deployed floating tanks -- a kind of amphibious vehicle -- to evacuate residents though the majority had so far chosen to stay put "Thank God nobody has drowned or been injured so far," army captain Aleksands Cviguns "Today our floating tank visiting five remote farms evacuating people and delivering food and supplies to those who are staying," he added Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins and President Egils Levits organised a crisis management meeting in the capital Riga Receive our weekly Newsletterand set tailored daily news alerts Making beautiful knitwear is something that requires plenty of technical know-how but above all else – it requires passion This is especially the case with seamless knitwear is a company that possesses both in abundance Knitwear, Knitted Outerwear, Knitted Accessories Leicester’s Mars Knitwear joins COVID-19 fight with Premium Face Masks AGR and Knitwear Lab collaborate on knitwear capsule 67% of respondents believe Riga is Latvia’s least safe city Every fifth respondents believes Daugavpils to be Latvia’s most dangerous city and Jelgava the third most dangerous city of Latvia GRIFS AG Board member Ainars Bundulis states: “Riga is a place of residence and work for a large number of Latvian residents It is no secret that it is not always possible for people to find good jobs in the regions Many leave for foreign countries or relocate to Riga The number of tourists in Riga increases every year It is no surprise that so does the number of fraudsters and other criminals in the capital.” According to information from the Interior Ministry Riga ranks among the most dangerous cities in Latvia Nearly 50% of all registered crimes in Latvia took were committed in Riga – 21,579 out of 49,905 Jekabpils is considered the fifth most dangerous city The safest cities of Latvia are considered Valmiera “People’s opinions are often based on personal experience or related aspects People have particular stereotypes on these things and it is sometimes hard for them to let go of them even when presented official statistical data,” – says GRIFS AG Board member Ainars Bundulis Security experts remind that the risk of being robbed can be reduced by following multiple simple principles – do not leave valuable items at home in plain sight; close all doors and windows before leaving your home Professional criminals are not even intimidated by guard dogs Residents are advised to purchase alarm systems to properly protect their homes Personal security is not less important: residents should choose to take safer routes if they decide to take a walk or return home late at night