RIGA (Sputnik) — NATO troops are expected to stimulate Riga's economy by spending their income on various activities and expenses associated with living in their host country, according to Bergmanis.
"These are wealthy people with good salaries, and they will not spend all their time on the base. They will do sports, take tours… Almost all the senior officers are moving with their families, their children will attend schools here… Their presence will revive the economy," Bergmanis said.
The NATO Summit in Warsaw of July 2016 resulted in the decision to place international military battalions in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland the eastern alliance members. The battalions are, at the moment, formed by the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada and the United States. Canada has agreed to lead NATO’s military buildup in Latvia, stationing 1,000 servicemen.
