Deportees demand better care

  • 2007-08-06
  • From wire reports
VILNIUS - Former deportees and political prisoners are urging the government to improve their lives by raising pensions and providing free healthcare.

Ex-freedom fighters are asking the government to raise their base national pensions to 200 litas (58 euros) from the current 172 litas (xxx euros).

"For many years, the national pensions… have been significantly lower than the social security base pension and does not amount to one-half of its original purchasing power," former political prisoners and deportees state in an Aug 3 press release.

Most political prisoners and deportees have already turned 70 and are many are suffering from diseases acquired as a result of injuries received in the harsh working and living conditions of Siberia.

As well as places in suitable sanatoria, the political prisoners and deportees are asking for 80 percent of their medical costs and public transport costs to be taken care of.