Constitutional Court overrules government on pensions

Dec 21, 2009
Oskars Magone

More than 9,000 pensioners lodged complaints with the Constitutional Court before the institution asked people to stop sending complaints. (Photo from archive)

RIGA - The Latvian Constitutional Court has overruled a government decision to cut pensions, saying that the cost-sutting measure was unconstitutional.

The government had previously decided to cut pensions for working retirees by 70 percent, and those of unemployed retirees by 10 percent.

A large number of pensioners wrote and visited the Constitutional Court to lodge complaints about the cuts.

The pension cuts were found unconstitutional based partially on Article 109, which states that "Everyone has the right to social security in old age, for work disability, for unemployment and in other cases as provided by law."

Welfare Minister Uldis Augulis has previously stated that the court ruling to reverse the government decision would end up costing the state approximately 100 million lats in compensation.

The Court began debating the case on Nov. 23. The ruling will enter into force after it is printed in the government's official newspaper "Latvijas Vestnesis".

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