Crisis management reform: how Latvia’s national security system will be monitored

The Crisis Management Centre will submit an annual report to the Cabinet of Ministers detailing the implementation of Latvia’s comprehensive national defence system, according to a government decision made Tuesday.

Comprehensive National Defence System

The comprehensive national defence system, implemented since 2019, aims to foster a sense of responsibility towards the state and its security among citizens. It also seeks to strengthen cooperation between state institutions, promote public-private partnerships, and develop tools for societal self-organisation during crises.

A ministerial-level working group was established to oversee and coordinate the implementation of the system, promoting a unified understanding among sectoral ministries. Amendments to the National Security Law, effective July 1, 2025, define the Cabinet of Ministers’ responsibility for planning, implementing, and coordinating comprehensive national defence and resilience.

These amendments also stipulate that issues related to crisis management and threats to the state will be reviewed during Cabinet crisis management meetings.

Following a directive from the Prime Minister, the usefulness of the current coordination working group was assessed in cooperation with the Crisis Management Centre. To further strengthen the handling of comprehensive national defence issues, related matters will now be reviewed at Cabinet crisis management meetings, including decisions on resilience planning, implementation, and coordination.

A working group at the state secretary level will continue to ensure a unified understanding of comprehensive national defence among ministries and facilitate intersectoral cooperation, submitting decisions for consideration at Cabinet crisis management meetings. The Crisis Management Centre, providing secretariat functions for the state secretaries’ working group, will submit the annual report to the Cabinet of Ministers on the progress of the national defence system’s implementation.