“On the one hand, it wings over the expectations of doctors and strengthens the belief that we live in a state governed by the rule of law and democracy. On the other hand, it is a serious warning to offenders and their fellow human beings,” said the union chairman.
As Vita Pluša, the administrator of the organisation’s office, informed LETA, LVSADA on June 16 this year asked the ombudsman Juri Jansons to apply to ST to defend the legal right of health care workers to increase their salaries in 2020 and 2021 in accordance with the Health Care Financing Law. .
The Ombudsman submitted the application to ST on 6 July. In the application, as indicated in the trade union, the ombudsman has expressed the opinion that the partial implementation of the salary increase provided by law does not comply with the basic norms of a democratic and legal state, as well as poses a significant threat to state and public interests.
Despite the protests organized by LVSADA and several medical public organizations, on November 14 last year the Saeima passed the law “On the State Budget for 2020”, which envisages allocating only about half of the planned increase in the remuneration of employees in the sector.
Taking into account the above-mentioned decision of the Saeima, LVSADA and the Ombudsman exchanged views on possible actions already in December last year. LVSADA appreciates the Ombudsman’s February 17 call to the Saeima to amend the Law “On the State Budget for 2020” by June 1 of this year in order to be able to increase the salaries of health care workers in accordance with the law.
On April 15, the Chairman of LVSADA Keris called on the Social and Labor Affairs Commission of the Saeima to ensure the increase of salaries for health care sector employees guaranteed by law. In a letter to the Ombudsman in June this year, the Social and Labor Affairs Committee of the Saeima acknowledged that the increase in the salaries of doctors must be fully implemented. Unfortunately, this is still not done, notes Kerry.
As reported, on Monday, at the request of the Ombudsman, ST initiated a case regarding the compliance of the increase in medical salaries specified in the 2020 budget with the state basic law, the agency LETA found out ST.
The case will assess the compliance with the Satversme of the programs and sub-programs of the Law “On the State Budget for 2020” for increasing the salaries of health care workers, insofar as they do not provide for state funding for raising the salaries of health care workers in 2020.
ST has invited the Saeima to submit a reply to the court by October 5 with a statement of the factual circumstances of the case and a legal substantiation.
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