Analytics, Direct Speech, Education and Science, Latvia

He said that during the past 20 years, the number of young people (aged between 13 and 25) has reduced in Latvia. According to the Central Statistical Bureau, in 1990, the number was around 480,600, but in 2013 – the number was 308,345. Hence, the society is slowly aging.

Bruveris believes that it is a great challenge to make young people become more active in politics and make them believe that they can make changes and affect the situation in the country. For example, several previous studies, carried out by the Ministry of Education and Science, indicate that 68% of young people in Latvia believe that they have small or no chances to get involved in political decision making, only 11% believe that they can bring about change, but 72% of young people are not familiar with any youth organization.

"It is not like youth policy in Latvia is in total chaos, there is some order to it," Bruveris said. "One of the problems is that society and decision makers consider youth policy ineffective, as sometimes it is difficult to see results," he also pointed out. "Thus, it is a plus if we are able to use the EU funds to fulfill ideas which the state, municipality or society could not or even would not be ready to finance," Bruveris said.

He believes that the Latvian youth should think, speak and act more.