Border zone expropriation process still unclear to many of those affected

"Amatnieki/Riekstiņi" is one of the largest farms in Baltinava parish, Balvi district and is right on the Latvian-Russian border. Its owner, Guntars Bartkevičs, and his family manage more than 5,000 hectares of land, growing various crops.

In January, Guntars received a letter saying that nine hectares of his property would be expropriated for the implementation of anti-mobility measures. Two months have since passed, but as the farmer himself said, he is still starved of information.

"This is unacceptable, because the landlords and owners must be informed and solutions must be sought that are most beneficial to both the residents and the state. I also agree that this matter is necessary for the security of our country, but there must be some communication," said Bartkevičs.

Meanwhile, at the nearby farm "Kotiņi", those responsible for the expropriation of the property visited last week in an attempt to clarify things. However, the farmers still have many unanswered questions.

"There were 15 people from the state in total to resolve one issue. After that meeting, I got the feeling that at that moment all those people themselves don't really understand how the issue should be resolved correctly, how it shouldn't be resolved. It seems to me that the issue has simply been addressed incorrectly from above," said Rolands Keišs, a representative of the "Kotiņi" farm.

Initially, a notification was received that one hectare of land will be expropriated from the "Kotiņi" farm. It is currently cultivated and sown, but it is not yet clear how much compensation will be given for both the land and the harvest.

"We have winter crops sown on that particular field. They said - there will be no possibility of harvesting them. So, let's draw up a cost position, how much there has been. And here again the question - how far to draw it up? The lost profit, the lost harvest or just what you have spent? Because it's such a broad concept," said Keišs.

The National Armed Forces (NBS) said it did not discuss specific amounts.

"I'll be honest - I don't have a specific, 100% clear answer right now. We will do everything to accommodate farmers as much as possible. If this is not possible and barriers really have to be erected where the sowing has already been done, then we will definitely assess the related losses, and these related losses will be compensated in full," said Colonel Kaspars Miezītis, one of the officials responsible for handling the land expropriations.

Farmers are concerned not only about the lost harvest, but also about issued such as the impact on drainage on their remaining land.

"In my case, it is a very painful thing that the entire drainage system flows into the border river - the Kūkūva. And then it means that my drainage system will be damaged and I will not be able to reach the final [outflow] sources at all. And if we do not reach it, it means that several hundred hectares of land will deteriorate over the years, that they will turn into swamps and I will not be able to carry out agricultural activities there," explained Bartkevičs.

Miezītis indicated that solutions will be sought so that after the anti-mobility barriers are installed, the land reclamation and drainage systems continue to function and the condition of the surrounding lands does not deteriorate. Before that, an appraiser will also inspect each property to be expropriated.

"And this is the moment to provide the owner with the maximum available documentation regarding both the investments and the current situation, so that this understanding can be fully developed," said Miezītis.

In the first round of expropriation, notices were sent to 144 individuals and 50 legal entities. In the second round, more than 300 notices will be sent by March 23rd (248 individuals and 54 legal entities).