They want to found a party to improve the lives of people with disabilities

On April 14, everyone who wants to improve the quality of life of pensioners and people with disabilities was invited to participate in the founding of a new party “For a legal state”.

Representatives from Cēsi, Alūksne, Rīga and other disabled associations had come to the Priekuļi Culture House, but due to the insufficient number of people, the party could not be established that day. To do this, at least 200 people are needed, but 33 had come to Priekuili.

One of the initiators of the establishment of such a political force was Indulis Balodis, the chairman of the Cēsi Disabled Society. He told “Druva”: “For many years, I have actively addressed the government, calling for the improvement of the quality of life of disabled people, I have submitted concrete proposals on how to do it, but most often our needs are not heard. Therefore, it is necessary to found a party ourselves in order to be able to defend our interests. Unfortunately, some of those who wanted to participate got sick or couldn’t make it for other reasons. Although we could not establish a party today, we will continue to go towards this goal. I think we can make a very big party.”

Laima Tēraudas, a member of the Society for the Disabled, admitted: “We have to support each other, when Indulis invited me to participate, I also responded.”

Edvīns Svars, chairman of the board of the Alūksne Invalids Society, when assessing the need to found a party, told “Druva”: “Our circle is not widely represented in the Saeima, there are a little more pensioners, but there are very few people with disabilities, so I think such a party is needed. It is human nature to like someone to take care of him. But when you have to do the minimum to have someone who cares, in this case you have to found a party, then people are very passive. They expect everything to be brought ready in a bowl, but they also have to do it themselves. We arrived by minibus, we are ready to go to Riga as well, if necessary, we will support as much as we can. We are a large association, almost 300 people, and we also have quite a lot of experience, so we are actively involved. Thanks to the government for last year’s indexation of pensions, however, the cost of living is still going up and the indexation is nowhere near covering it. Therefore, various problems arise: both with the ability to pay for energy resources, health care, and medicines. It is understandable that the leaders of the government and members of the Saeima find an opportunity to add to their salary, however, if the principle of solidarity is not respected, then it does not look very good. It’s not that they shouldn’t, they should, but the people value the principle of solidarity very highly. Therefore, a party that would be interested in this social group will not be superfluous.”

Jāzeps Janiševs, head of the Association of Disabled Persons of Latvia, also believes that people with disabilities are not heard, so they cannot live a respectful life. “How high quality is it possible to live for disabled persons of the third group, whose benefit is 136 euros per month?” he asks. “I am one of those who believe that we should try to form our own party. Even though today unfortunately was the way it was, let’s go and do it. I will look for premises in Riga, because it is not so easy to find a place where the necessary number of people could gather to found a party. Then we will invite active residents again.”

Evaluating why there was not a sufficient number of people, J. Janiševs admits that perhaps some members did not come also because the municipality, which provides support to the organization, might not want associations to participate in the founding of such a party.

Although most of those gathered were interested in founding the party, some had come to listen to the musician Aivars Lapšanas, who emphasized that it is important for Latvians to be united and active.

On the other hand, after the event, several people with disabilities admitted that they did not know about the plan to found a party, they would also have liked to participate.