RIGA, Jan 28 (LETA) The Defense Ministry has sent the first letters to landowners regarding the expropriation of territories necessary for the construction of the Baltic Defense Line, Liene Gatere (Progressives), Parliamentary Secretary of the Defense Ministry, told LETA.

The installation of anti-mobility barriers on the expropriated territories is scheduled to start later in the spring, Gatere said.

Last December, the government approved a list of land properties to be expropriated and graphic material for the first phase construction of the Baltic Defense Line or anti-mobility infrastructure.

For the expropriation of the land needed for anti-mobility infrastructure, the property owners will be paid compensation to be determined by a fair compensation commission, which will include a certified real estate appraiser.

The fair compensation will consist of the market value of the property and the amount of damage suffered by the property owner.

In the framework of the plan for military reinforcement and anti-mobility measures at Latvia's eastern border, the Defense Ministry and the National Armed Forces (NAF) have determined that the construction of anti-mobility infrastructure will require 2,000 hectares of land plots of various sizes in six eastern border municipalities: Aluksne, Augsdaugava, Balvi, Kraslava, Ludza, and Smiltene. The owners of land in the identified areas include the state, municipalities and private individuals.

The Law on the Establishment of Anti-mobility Infrastructure will facilitate the implementation of anti-mobility measures taken by the NAF. The establishment of anti-mobility infrastructure will be exempt from construction, forest management, tree felling, and environmental protection requirements.