A special support programme is also required for historic homes built before 1941. These often do not qualify for state renovation support programmes, even though these buildings not only house nearly half of Latvia's population, but are also the pride of our culture with high potential to attract tourism.

Therefore, we must take care of maintaining and restoring our architectural heritage so that its value is not gnawed away by the ravages of time. If we compare renovating a historic apartment building with a Soviet-era block house, the former will, for the most part, become aesthetically pleasing structures after renovation.

For the latter, it is sometimes more cost-effective to demolish and rebuild, but demolishing historic buildings that can be restored would be an absolute sin.

On the other hand, money for renovations will stay in Latvia. Furthermore, it must be remembered that Riga is not the whole of Latvia. Many historic buildings exist elsewhere, too.

Kuldīga, for example, can be cited as an excellent example of preserving historic heritage, but not all local governments have sufficient funds and the necessary understanding for this. This is where European funding should be involved.

According to Eurobarometer survey data, 69% of Latvian residents believe that the EU Recovery Fund will allow our economy to recover more quickly from the effects of the pandemic.