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Pabriks said that the approximate costs of establishing such a center are still being calculated, but that this sum could be several millions lats.

''Taking into account the government and Saeima have made the decision to gradually increase defense spending, this project could be one where these funds are invested,'' Saleniece pointed out.

At the moment, it is not yet know how many specialists would work at the center, but that the center will most likely have only a few specialists initially and gradually continue to develop and attract more specialists from Latvia and abroad.

Saleniece also added that the Defense Ministry is currently in consultations with NATO experts in regard to the center, and is currently awaiting a NATO assessment.

As reported, Pabriks said at a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels last month that Latvia wanted to establish the NATO Center of Excellence for Strategic Communication in Riga that would explain to society the importance and tasks of the alliance.

It is very important to inform the public about defense matters, for instance, why international operations are necessary and why funds have to be allotted for defense, Pabriks told LETA.

Pabriks hopes that the final decision on the establishment of a NATO center of excellence in Riga could be taken in a year's time. Latvia has been working on the project for about six months, but there are other NATO member states that would like to have the center in their cities.

There already are NATO centers of excellence in the other two Baltic countries: NATO Energy Security Center of Excellence in Lithuania and NATO Cyber Defense Center of Excellence in Estonia.