13-06-2025

Baltic Interior Ministers Strengthen Cooperation in the Field of Civil Protection

The Ministers of the Interior of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia have signed a memorandum committing to strengthen cooperation in the field of civil protection.

“For the Baltic States, it is crucial to maintain a unified approach and coordinate actions in the face of threats to ensure the safety of our people – especially if a large-scale evacuation were needed. It is important to have clear procedures and to exchange information swiftly in order to ensure effective implementation of preventive, preparedness, and mitigation measures, as well as coordinated public communication to avoid impulsive behavior both in preparation for and during a crisis,” said Minister of the Interior Vladislav Kondratovič.

The aim of the memorandum is to promote regional cooperation in planning cross-border evacuations, developing joint mass evacuation plans, and ensuring timely information exchange in addressing shared challenges.

The countries commit to cooperating in the event that a mass evacuation is needed across the Baltic States, including sharing data on evacuation capacities, potential evacuation corridors, and border crossing points. Efforts will be made to further develop the necessary tools and resources, with particular attention to supporting vulnerable groups.

At the end of May, the Ministers of the Interior and Civil Protection from Belgium, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Finland, and Sweden issued a joint declaration in Brussels, calling for urgent additional measures to strengthen civil protection, preparedness, and resilience both at the national and EU levels.

It was jointly agreed that national security is determined not only by military capabilities but also by the readiness of internal security systems, and their ability to maintain stability, anticipate, respond to, and withstand various crises.