Other events in Baltic States

In the first three quarters of last year, the number of people who in Estonia who received subsistence benefits and the amount of money paid for the benefits grew to the highest level in five years, LETA/Postimees writes.

Last year, an average of 14,000 subsistence benefit applications were satisfied in Estonia every month. In the first quarter 47,242 applications for 7.6 million euros, in the second quarter 42,996 applications for 6.2 million euros and in the third quarter 35,410 applications for 4.8 million euros were satisfied.

In the first three quarters of last year, 990 applications more were satisfied than at the same time a year ago, Postimees mediates social ministry statistics.

"In 2009 and 2010, the number of applications surged and last year the number stabilised," said social ministry welfare department senior specialist Marek Atonen.

Atonen pointed out as a positive factor that according to the latest data of 2011, people submitted 2% less subsistence benefit applications than a year earlier but that does not mean a step towards easing of the problem since the number of people with subsistence problems is kept high by the long-term jobless.

"In 2012, major changes in the total number of benefit recipients or the sums is not forecast," said Atonen.