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International Internet Magazine. Baltic States news & analytics Thursday, 28.03.2024, 14:17

State Employment Agency should work more actively to enable people to earn their living - Levits

BC, Riga, 07.07.2020.Print version
The State Employment Agency should be doing much more to help people find jobs and earn their living themselves, President Egils Levits said today in an interview to the 900 Seconds morning news program of TV3 channel.

Asked about possibilities to reduce social inequality, Levits said that this will be a tough task but that the state must fulfill it. 


The president underlined that the Constitutional Court in its ruling on the guaranteed minimum income (GMI) concluded that Latvia has not been following the principles of a socially responsible state. 


The president noted at the same time that a socially responsible state does not mean social benefits alone. "A socially responsible state means that it is necessary to promote a system that would enable people to earn their living themselves. This is an extremely important element of a socially responsible state, which I am supporting," Levits said. 


The president said that the State Employment Agency, which is responsible for promoting employment, should work much more actively to enable people to earn their living. 

As reported, the Constitutional Court ruled in June that the existing guaranteed minimum income in Latvia is inconsistent with provisions of the Constitution.


The court concluded that the legislature has not resolved key GMI-related issues, including defining the basic needs GMI is supposed to cover and providing a method for the calculation of GMI.


Taking into account the economic factors and other considerations, the Constitutional Court ruled to invalidate the disputed provision as of January 1, 2021.






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