From@AndrisKulbergs📡 To improve communications in Latvia, internal roaming between mobile operators must be introduced. I personally experience this regularly when traveling to regions of 🇱🇻, and I hear the same from colleagues and people across Latvia — mobile communications may have become worse in many places. Call drops, lost coverage, insufficient coverage. One possible reason could be — we have rapidly transitioned to 5G, which requires a denser network of base stations, while the declining role of the 2G network in certain places may affect coverage availability. One solution — internal roaming within Latvia between LMT, Tele2, and BITE. That would mean: if your operator's network is not available in a specific location, your phone could in certain cases use another operator's network. This would allow more efficient and rational use of existing infrastructure, improve communication availability and, importantly, increase 🇱🇻 resilience in crisis situations. I looked into what's happening with this issue. It turns out — such an initiative has already existed! All operators have even agreed to it, but the issue has remained "hanging" in the MK TAP portal after submission by @Sat_Min. Perhaps it was simply forgotten along the way. 👉 I tasked the office to find out where this issue is stuck and move it forward. Communications are not just convenience. In a crisis they are part of national security and resilience. We must use everything that is already at our disposal so that 🇱🇻 is more prepared.
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Infrastructure: Posts and News mentioning Apvienotais saraksts
Political posts and news in Infrastructure that mention Apvienotais saraksts, from monitored Latvian public sources.
Given the hype around Latgale, I have changed tomorrow's plans and am heading to Daugavpils and Krāslava. 10:00 – Daugavpils City Council, then a meeting with entrepreneurs. 15:00 – Krāslava City Council and talks with local entrepreneurs. Clear answers on the spot! https://t.co/OrRxhCcjip
From@AndrisKulbergsThere is a misunderstanding and incorrectly spread news/headlines in media = there is no threat to Latgale and no need to declare a state of emergency. It is just an unfortunate wording of the order's title and annotation from the document submitted by KEM @JanisVitenbergs on the TAP portal. The ministry document's text is misleading and ambiguous (it is a mistake, the minister will correct it), but reading it in detail one can clearly understand both its meaning and essence - to introduce a legal framework for action in yellow and orange warning situations. Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs' address to the public I want to clearly tell the people of Latvia: there is currently no reason for concern. Latvia's level of military threat has not changed. The risk of a direct military invasion threat to Latvia is currently low. This is confirmed by the information available to our security services, and the President of the State has also publicly emphasized this. Yes, we live in a time when Russia's war against Ukraine continues nearby. We must reckon with cyberattacks, sabotage attempts, provocations, drones, and other manifestations of hybrid warfare. That is why state services are operating in a heightened alert mode, we are strengthening the eastern border, and together with NATO allies we are continuously monitoring the situation. However, preparedness for a potential threat is not the same as an immediate threat. These two things must not be confused. Unfortunately, in recent days we see loud statements in the public space about "threats of escalation of Russia's military action" and the declaration of a state of emergency. Such formulations, detached from the actual security situation assessment, understandably raise questions and concern among people. I call on both ministries and politicians to be particularly responsible on this issue. Security is not a tool for pre-election rhetoric. One must not earn political points with people's fears. If any ministry needs a special legal framework to ensure the continuous operation of hospitals, energy supply, water management, or other critical infrastructure in the event of a threat, the government will evaluate such proposals and make necessary decisions. That is our duty. But technical and organizational state preparedness measures should not be presented to the public as if Latvia were on the brink of war. Latvia is a safe country. We are a NATO member state. Allied forces are stationed in Latvia. Our airspace is continuously monitored, the eastern border is being strengthened, and our security services work together with the allies. The government's task is to be ready even for the worst scenarios. That is precisely why we are strengthening state resilience and critical infrastructure. So my call to the people of Latvia: let us live our daily lives, be calm but vigilant. For politicians and state officials, my call is stricter - be responsible with what you say! I ask journalists before publishing claims to contact and clarify what is meant by the draft order in the Cabinet of Ministers system.
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From@AivarsMarkots@karlis_arajs @AndrisKulbergs Kulberg's incomprehensible direct support for the waterfront raises both commercial concerns and political risks, which should also raise in-depth media questions.
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The real cost of Rail Baltica will become known in September — Kozlovskis
Lessons of the storm — plans to create resilience points for crisis situations
Dombrava's words about border cameras — a surprise for the head of the Saeima committee
From@karlis_serzantsA stop on Latgales Street. Built two years ago and already redone twice. A few weeks after the last redo it already looks like this. That's what happens when you put cobblestones on bare sand. In spring there will be repairs again, but who will pay for that @VKleinbergs ? https://t.co/OWSJNikt0j
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Kulbergs
From@AndrisKulbergsThis storm was a painful dress rehearsal for Latvia's and every person's readiness to overcome crisis situations. Thank you to firefighters, medics, police officers, electricity network crews, municipal workers, volunteers and everyone who is still working to help people and restore critical services. The storm showed an unpleasant truth: if electricity disappears over a wide area, many other critical everyday services also start to stop. Many of us were affected not only by the lack of electricity. Mobile communications and internet were disrupted, fuel stations, shops, ATMs, payment terminals and traffic lights did not work. Traffic and train movement were disrupted. In places, water supply and sewerage operations were endangered. Even operational services in some places had difficulty refueling their vehicles. The storm also revealed a problem with cash circulation. Without electricity and internet, card payments may not be possible, and ATMs do not work. Under these circumstances, cash becomes a critically important reserve means of payment. There must be a clear action plan by the state, banks and merchants on how to ensure the availability and circulation of cash during a crisis. People reported that in some shops, bread and drinking water ran out within three to four hours. We need to assess whether shops and logistics networks are ready for a rapid increase in demand and can ensure the supply of essential goods also when electricity, communications and electronic payments do not work. Equally important is the operation of pharmacies and the availability of medicines. What happens if a pharmacy has no electricity, internet or access to e-prescriptions? Where can a person get life-saving medicines? How is the public informed about working pharmacies? There must also be a clear crisis algorithm here, not improvisation after the event. Unfortunately, today I did not find a unified, comprehensible and regularly updated overview of the situation. People had to search for information themselves on the websites and social media accounts of various institutions, companies and municipalities. But during a crisis, a person must be able to get answers to very specific questions in one place: ❓ Where is there no electricity? ❓ Where are mobile communications and internet not working? ❓ Which roads are closed and where is public transport disrupted? ❓ Where is water supply and sewerage endangered? ❓ Which shops, fuel stations and pharmacies are operating? ❓ What exactly is being done? ❓ In what order are damages expected to be repaired and services restored? Such information must be unified, verified and regularly updated. At the same time, there should be a backup information solution for situations when people have no electricity, internet or mobile communications. Once the acute crisis phase has been overcome, I expect a comprehensive assessment from the Crisis Management Center on how the state overcame this crisis, what worked, what did not and what urgently needs to be improved. The assessment must conclude with a concrete action plan, specifying those responsible, deadlines and necessary investments. But responsibility is not only on the state. Also every Latvian household must critically assess whether we seriously took the previously distributed warnings and whether we can cope for at least 72 hours without electricity, internet, shop, ATM and immediate operational services help. Do we have drinking water, food, necessary medicines, a flashlight, batteries, a charged external battery, a radio and cash at home? Does the family have a comprehensible action plan? Do we know how we will help children, seniors, neighbours and people with special needs? This time it was a storm about which we received advance warnings. The next crisis may start without such warning. I am currently in Ukraine, where they have to deal with an identical situation every day. Yesterday I saw with my own eyes how crisis coordination systems are integrated into a military command center, where you can see every service online - VUGD, police, medicine, gas, municipal services, rescuers... all. I will bring this system to Latvia.
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“It was a painful dress rehearsal.” Kulbergs on his way to Kyiv about the storm and its aftermath (18) According to the prime minister, people lack information.
Priska reveals an unpleasant truth. Prime Minister promises to introduce a crisis management system seen in Ukraine
“You have completely discredited yourself”: help after the storm sparked a dispute on social media
United aces under the prime minister's leadership: 15th Saeima election list No. 7 - United List
Minister: No one expected such large-scale power outages due to the storm (18)
What does the airBaltic rescue plan actually entail?
The airBaltic rescue plan envisages that the state will lose influence in the company. 'Nothing Personal'
Maybe someone should do time after deals like this?
From@andrislovWhen Kulbergs learns with 'great surprise' that the long-praised wet lease is in the red over the year, that is no longer a surprise, it's a diagnosis. If even the basic business model—leasing aircraft with crew—turns out to be loss-making, then who still believes that a 'last chance' and debt restructuring will suddenly generate profit? When the prime minister himself finally sees this, the question is no longer 'how to save' but 'how long can we keep pretending that something can be saved'?
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Andris is still laughing. And it's unclear whether it's through tears. I haven't for a long time. The previous government spoke beautifully and many people believed. Meanwhile, as a society, we systematically and inevitably continued to lose hundreds of millions. Not only with Ošlejs' ballads, but with the hands of completely real and decisive people. They are not a rarity, the typical level of a Twitter commenter. Ordinary people. My heart truly hurts. Physically. When I first became acquainted with the company's situation from the inside and came out of the Saeima meeting, psychosomatics kicked in. It stabbed my heart. No, no heart attack. You may not believe it, but since then I no longer smile at meetings. I watch with incomprehension the bustling carefree faces that are typical of all corporate governance meetings. For example. This week I participated in a meeting about RailBaltic. There, the Saeima representative emotionlessly announced that the construction technical specification specifies gravel that is not available in Latvia at all. Only on Mars. And nobody found that strange, the meeting continued. I decided that it's a victory. Have a nice evening.
From@AndrisKulbergs“In 2024, Evika Siliņa called this a ‘very successful deal’. It seems to me that after two years we finally have the opportunity to assess how successful it was.” “340 million euros at 14.5 percent. Then another 40 million. Total 380 million. At the time, even financial market experts publicly said — this was the most expensive bond rate in Europe that year‼️But the government told us about a success.” “If the market asks a company for 14.5 percent, that is not a compliment to the company. It is a very loud warning signal.” “And that is precisely where my main complaint against the previous government lies. If you borrow money at 14.5 percent, a fundamental corporate transformation plan must be on the table that same day — what the fleet will be, how costs will be reduced, how the capital structure will be arranged, and when a strategic investor will come in.” “Instead, we continued the growth story. Now, two years later, we have Seabury, creditor negotiations, preparation of a new plan, and discussion about who will give the next money.” “That is why I sometimes look with a certain envy at the previous government’s optimism. Borrowing at 14.5 percent and calling it a very successful deal — you really need to know how to be that optimistic.” “Our government will not repeat this mistake. First restructuring. First creditor participation. First a viable airBaltic. And only then a conversation about whether the state still has to finance anything more.”
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From@AndrisKulbergs@NaurisVizulis @airBaltic The wet lease, to my great surprise, is 'bad' over the course of a year - one can sense what a 'good deal' Gauss struck under the then Ministry of Transport leadership.... When I saw this, I couldn't believe it.
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From@AnsisPupols🚋 The municipality invests in @Rigassatiksme_, compensating social groups for the difference between the actual and set ticket price. Plus we also have to consider that most passengers don't pay for their ticket at all. For example, pensioners. One could ask Riga residents for five euros for a day ticket and 12 for a night ride, which is what it actually costs. But then no one would ride the tram. Those who have money would use Bolt, those who don't would push the Riga City Council with all its deputies into the Daugava. The problem with @airBaltic is that you have to pay on average more for a ticket than with @lufthansa or @Finnair, and the state still has to make up the difference.
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