EU – Baltic States, Latvia, Quality of life, Society

Juris Jansons. BC.

Jansons says in his letter to the European Commission’s Directorate General for Economic and Financial Affairs that in planning Latvia’s annual budget it would be essential to focus on measures aimed at satisfying the basic needs of the population. According to international human rights standards and national legislation, the basic needs include food, clothing, housing, health care and education.

In comparison with other European Union (EU) members, Latvia seriously lags behind in areas like health care and social security, the ombudsman noted in his letter. “These are areas that have been neglected and underfunded for years,” Jansons said, adding that these are the spheres most closely related to satisfying people’s basic needs.

In Jansons’ opinion, it is essential for the state authorities to also take care of those groups of people who are unable to provide for themselves, namely, children, the disabled, the elderly and single parent families.

The ombudsman already previously urged Latvia’s new government and parliament to start eradicating poverty from day one, stressing that poverty is Latvia’s most serious problem and the authorities are moving too slow to improve the situation.

The ombudsman has sent his assessment also to Saeima and the Cabinet of Ministers.