Latvija in brief - 2012-03-01

The government today approved gradually increasing the retirement age as of 2014, in accordance with the Welfare Ministry’s amendments to the concept of long-term stability of the social insurance system. The government made the decision without lengthy debate, Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis (Unity) only remarked that the proposal had been backed by the Latvian Employers’ Confederation but opposed by unions. The previous amendments to the Law on State Pensions stipulated that the retirement age would be gradually increased from 2016. Now, however, it has been amended such that the retirement age would be gradually increased already from 2014 taking into account the negative welfare budget trends and the latest population census data. The reform will concern residents born in 1952-1957, about 50,000 people altogether. According to the government’s decision, the current retirement age of 62 will be increased by three months on January 1 of 2014 and 2015, and starting from 2016 by six months every year, until reaching 65 in 2020. Early retirement age will also be increased, according to the same schedule, to 63 in 2020. The Welfare Ministry also plans to increase the minimum insurance record, from 10 to 15 years starting from 2014, and to 20 years starting from 2020.

The Food and Veterinary Service (FVS) has received information from the Latvian Infectious Diseases Center that a family of six has contracted trichinellosis in Daugavpils Region. In wake of the incident, the FVS urges everyone to consume only laboratory-tested and thermally-treated pork. FVS representatives told “Nozare.lv” that the family became infected with trichinellosis when it ate home-raised and slaughtered pork earlier this month. The number of infected people could increase, since the family had also shared with neighbors. The incubation period for trichinellosis usually lasts up to two weeks. Taking into account that home-raised pork is highly demanded in the community, FVS urges everyone to be cautious when eating such meat. It often bypasses veterinary examination and trichinellosis control.

Those Latvian residents who ended up in Nazi German army during World War II are not criminals, President Andris Berzins told the LNT television channel this morning, commenting on the heated atmosphere ahead of this year’s WWII Latvian Legion Day, March 16. Berzins was asked whether March 16 should be commemorated in a different way. The president did not directly respond to the question, saying that “nothing should be ignored”. The president said that only 500 out of 50,000 legionnaires are still alive and their average age is 90 now. Berzins added that he was puzzled by the fact that these commemorative events are being opposed, and emphasized that these people had fought for Latvia. Berzins stressed that legionnaires were forcefully enlisted to fight for Nazi Germany in 1944. In 1950, the United States concluded that they did not commit war crimes. Later on, they were also rehabilitated by the Soviet Union. “It would be nonsense to perceive them as criminals,” said Berzins. “Instead, we should bow to them,” added the politician.