Latvia considers EU aid and deadline extensions following severe storm

Latvian Minister of Smart Administration and Regional Development, Edgars Tavars, is proposing to extend the deadline for municipalities to report storm damage from three to ten working days. The proposal aims to allow local governments to prioritize immediate emergency response and infrastructure repair, such as restoring electricity and communications, before completing the necessary paperwork for state compensation.

The severe storm that occurred on the night of August 24–25 caused widespread damage across Latvia, particularly in the Latgale and Zemgale regions, leaving over 250,000 households without electricity.

Due to the scale of the destruction, Tavars indicated that the state may lack sufficient funds to cover all costs, suggesting that Latvia might need to seek financial assistance from the European Commission. The potential required funding could reach several tens of millions of euros. The Cabinet of Ministers is expected to discuss the deadline extension and compensation procedures during its upcoming session.