|
Our country currently faces a systemic crisis. It will affect the everyday life of all people in Latvia and will make us willing to change our attitude towards nature, environment, other people and the country itself. In the nearest future, the state financial opportunities will be limited and we urgently have to achieve the further reduction of state expenditures.
At the same time, the public confidence in the state authority has hit its lowest level in the history of the Latvian State. The Government is ready to make difficult and strategic decisions. However, the welfare and security of our people in the upcoming years will not only directly depend on the Government's decisions, but also on the responsible actions, cooperation and support by the whole society and each individual. Whether we will overcome the economic downturn and improve the living conditions is all in our hands.
The recovery of Latvia's financial system and economy is and will remain also closely linked to the solutions for tacking the global crisis as found by our partners in the world – the European Union (EU) and the United States of America. We have to cooperate with our partners in Europe and the rest of the world in order to ensure speedy adjustment and recovery of the economic environment.
Therefore, this Government which will consist of the "New Era" Party, the People's Party, the Green and Farmers Union, the Civic Union and the Union "For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK" till the end of the term of 9th Saeima (Parliament) will be resolved to regain the public confidence in the state authority, to create preconditions for overcoming the economic crisis and to lay steady foundations for the growth of Latvia, for the welfare and security of its society.
Our Government expresses its commitment to: economise and purposefully reduce the budged in order to provide for the urgent tasks of the country that would be appropriate for the current economic situation; urgently commence the recovery of the state economy by developing a policy for supporting productive and competitive business activities; discuss with the social partners the decisions related to the economic recovery prior to their adoption; provide social security by adjusting the state and social expenditures to the conditions of the increasing unemployment; enhance cooperation between the state and its population, thus facilitating the active involvement of the public in the fair state administration; ensure transparency of the activities of the Government, public administration and local governments; gain public confidence in the state authority.
The factions of the “New Era” Party, the People’s Party, the Green and Farmers Union, the Civic Union, and the Union “For Fatherland and Freedom”/LNNK of the Saeima of the Republic of Latvia have resolved to form a stable Government. It must be able to successfully deal with the following urgent tasks: Reduction of the budget deficit, thus discharging the responsibilities assumed by the former Government to the European Commission (EC) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in order to ensure the further receipt of the international loan and to halt the economic downturn. Purposeful economic recovery, speedy and strategic support to the competitive and perspective business activities, as well as to the spheres of economy which face difficulties and are important to the growth of Latvia and increase labour productivity and create new jobs. Ensuring reasonable support to the disadvantaged, ceasing the unemployment growth, and creation of support system appropriate to the budget funds. Public support and involvement in overcoming the crisis, through cooperation with the social partners and informing the society about the decisions made. Adoption in the Saeima of the amendments to the Satversme (Constitution) foreseeing the granting of rights to the people of Latvia to dissolve the Saeima in occasion of loosing its public confidence.
In order to fulfil those tasks, the Government shall:
I. urgently prepare the amendments to the State Budget for 2009, according to the memorandum on urgent measures for ensuring state solvency.
II. further negotiations with international creditors on increasing the ceiling for budget deficit.
III. reach agreement with the EC and IMF on requirements of the memorandum, in order to also further receive the loan from international organisations.
IV. considerably reduce the bureaucracy in the central apparatus of the line ministries and introduce the most severe economy measures.
V. delegate responsibility for supervision of state capital shares in state and local government companies to the competent officials of the responsible institutions, by making modifications in the laws and regulations with regard to the supervision procedure, and by abolishing company councils within the state and local government companies, except particularly large stock companies which meet the requirements set fort in laws.
VI. make all reasonable efforts to ensure availability of inter-compatible public data bases and other electronic government services to business representatives thus significantly reducing and simplifying the bureaucratic procedures.
VII. urgently prepare specific proposals and set terms and necessary resources in following spheres: liquidity of companies; export support; absorption of EU funds; promotion of innovations; public administration efficiency.
In addition to those main tasks, we will ensure a balanced policy in particular areas for improving the national quality of life, for preserving national values and for harmonic development of the Latvian State and society. We will promote preservation, development and improvement of the Latvian language as the official state language and one of the official EU languages by strengthening the institutional structure of the language policy.
We, the undersigned representatives of parties, undertake, on behalf of our parties, to fulfil the following tasks for the benefit of the growth of the Latvian State:
1. Public involvement
1.1. Ensuring the involvement of representatives of the non-governmental institutions (NGO) in the decision-making processes at all levels and all cycles of creating action policy.
1.2. Development and introduction of procedure according to which the public administration delegates tasks to unions and foundations.
1.3. Reduction of bureaucratic obstacles for acquiring financial resources from the international financial instruments, and ensuring of NGO rights to be project applicants within all international financial instrument programmes.
1.4. Ensuring the use of NGOs and peoples’ interest groups as a social capital resource, when dealing with social and economic challenges.
1.5. Carrying out of activities that enhance the performance of unions and foundations in Latvia, thus fulfilling the objectives set forth in the cooperation memorandum between the Government and NGOs.
1.6. Ensuring availability and transparency of information in the electronic environment within the decision-making processes.
1.7. Improvement of institutional cooperation mechanism between NGOs and Planning regions, and promotion of local government support to NGOs.
2. Development of civic society
2.1. Encouraging the return of Latvians and the people of Latvia living abroad and their reintegration in the society of Latvia.
2.2. Raising the prestige of the Latvian citizenship, thus stimulating favourable attitude towards the procedure for acquiring citizenship.
2.3. Ensuring such policy that would promote social inclusion of various social, ethnic, religious and other groups.
2.4. Elimination of isolation of information space both in Latvia and between Latvia and international society, on the basis of common values and mutual respect.
2.5. Promotion of purposeful consolidation of the Latvian language in all areas of social life and its development as language of mutual communication of the people in Latvia, ensuring the Latvian language learning opportunities to the representatives of national minority groups, including within the institutions of preschool and primary school education.
3. Public administration
3.1. Ensuring complete and explicit information about the activities of the Cabinet of Ministers and the economic situation.
3.2. Increasing public access to information about the decisions made by the state and local government institutions and the procedures performed with regard to issues concerning utilisation of financial resources and property.
3.3. Carrying out of overall audit on public administration functions and introduction of its results.
3.4. In the procedure of searching, promoting and approving applicants for high-ranking state posts, ensuring of transparency, timeliness and selection on the basis of professional and reputation criteria of applicants.
3.5. Further elaboration of laws and regulations for prevention of unfair practices in the pre-election campaigns and financing of parties.
3.6. Elaboration and adoption of relevant laws and regulations for the financed political party system.
3.7. Ensuring independent and professional work of the public radio and television.
3.8. Development and introduction of a new uniform salary system in the public administration.
3.9. Assessment and elimination of corruption risks in the public administration institutions.
3.10. Development and introduction of a national strategy for corruption prevention and combating, and a national programme for corruption prevention and combating.
4. Development of information society
4.1. Making all reasonable efforts to ensure availability of inter-compatible public data bases and other electronic government services to regular public and business representatives thus significantly reducing and simplifying the bureaucratic procedures and ensuring the re-use of information.
4.2. Facilitating the steady development of all information society aspects in order to ensure knowledge-based economy in Latvia.
4.3. Improvement of e-procurement system, ensuring its full-scale utilisation in the public sector.
4.4. Development of e-skills in all sections of the population in order to encourage the use of opportunities offered by the information society.
4.5. Improvement of the legal basis of the e-government.
4.6. Ensuring safety, reliability, collaboration and development of the state information systems, creating centralised and uniform institutional mechanism for supervision.
4.7. Promoting the significance of science and innovations for the development of competitive economy, as well as for increasing international competitiveness of the information communication technologies.
4.8. Encouraging the promotion of intellectual property in the sector of information technologies and ensuring its protection.
5. State defence
5.1. Ensuring the development of state defence capacity in line with middle- and long-term plans, emphasising that the objectives of state defence are protection of citizens of the Republic of Latvia, its territory and the political system as stipulated by the Satversme.
5.2. Reduction of the number of administrative structures, improvement of civil and military planning and management principles according to the NATO and the EU doctrines, concentrating resources for increasing fighting capacities of the armed units.
5.3. Promotion of efficient use and control of state and financial resources, reducing corruption risks in the procurement sector.
5.4. Development of the Home Guard in order to ensure the assignments of collective and territorial defence, as well as the participation of home guards in the public defence measures.
5.5. Paying of particular attention to the education and training processes of soldiers and home guards, their professionalism, morality and discipline.
5.6. Active participation in the implementation of NATO and EU security and defence policy in globalisation conditions, enhancing the transatlantic cooperation and developing the military cooperation of the EU, the Baltic Sea Region, as well as of the Baltic States.
5.7. Fulfilment of liabilities of Latvia with regard to the international peace-keeping operations, defining the NATO mission in Afghanistan as priority.
5.8. Ensuring protection of classified information in compliance with the requirements set forth by NATO.
5.9. Upholding the prestige of the soldier’s profession, paying particular attention to the military discipline and to increasing responsibility of commanders of all levels in the National Armed Forces.
5.10. Encouraging the use of potential and offerings of the Latvian scientists and business representatives for the development and ensuring the state defence system.
5.11. Increasing the competitiveness of the Latvian manufacturers by participating in the EU and NATO research, manufacturing and logistics events.
5.12. Fostering the patriotic education and development of military education acquisition opportunities in the comprehensive schools and civil higher education institutions.
5.13. In close cooperation with non-governmental institutions, provision of support to the Youth Guard, thus developing the patriotism, physical capacity and military knowledge of the youth.
6. Foreign affairs
6.1. Enhancing such bilateral and regional cooperation which develops export, promotes investments and create favourable environment for the growth development of Latvia.
6.2. By ensuring enabling conditions for the development of Latvia, enhancement of the uniform EU activities and principles aimed at the promotion and growth of economy.
6.3. Supporting the development of a uniform EU energy policy by actively dealing with the security of energy supplies, diversification of sources and the Baltic interconnections plan.
6.4. By developing and strengthening the partnership with the new US administration and by promoting the intensity and scale of NATO cooperation, provision of security in the European and Transatlantic area.
6.5. Following the elections of the European Parliament, dealing with the composition of a new and strong European Commission.
6.6. In cooperation with the Reflection group, definition of ideas for the future of Europe.
6.7. Ensuring the EU unity by continuing negotiations with Russia on the new Partnership and cooperation agreement. In bilateral cooperation, development of the opportunities ensured by the activities of Latvian-Russian Intergovernmental Commission.
6.8. By enhancing the cooperation among the Baltic States and Nordic countries, facilitation of the development of the region and achieving the agreement with regard to the adoption of the EU Baltic Sea Strategy.
6.9. While working towards the adoption of the EU Eastern Partnership Initiative, further provision of support to Georgia, Moldova, the Ukraine, thus promoting cooperating in the whole region, involving more actively Armenia, Azerbaijan and Belarus. Enhancement of the cooperation of the Eastern Partnership countries with the EU by applying the Latvia’s reform experience, facilitating the improvement of economic, judicial and security conditions in the eastern environs of the EU. For the purposes of this objective, the use of resources allocated to the development assistance.
6.10. Supporting the negotiations of accession of Croatia and Turkey to the EU, as well as the integration of other countries to the EU on the basis of the defined EU enlargement criteria.
6.11. Continuation of preparatory activities for Latvia's presidency of the EU in 2015 by preparing and approving the Government’s action plan.
7. Economy
7.1. General tasks
7.1.1. Preparation of policy for the development of industries and increasing the competitiveness of exporting sectors.
7.1.2. Introduction of a short-, medium and long-term programme for creating and retaining jobs.
7.1.3. Preparation of information about the forecasts concerning labour force supply and demand tendencies.
7.1.4. Ensuring independent research and analysis of economy.
7.1.5. Preparation of a report on progress in implementation of the National Lisbon Programme of Latvia.
7.1.6. Preparation of a proposal for the establishment of the Development Bank.
7.1.7. Ensuring efficient protection of consumer rights appropriate to the current economic situation. Improvement of measures for consumer rights protection.
7.1.8. Development of a conceptually new mortgage loan law in line with the EU guidelines.
7.1.9. Taking measures in ensuring efficient regulation of public services and availability of quality services for reasonable prices to the general public.
7.1.10. Considerable reduction of administrative and bureaucratic barriers for the attraction of investments and the creation of new jobs.
7.1.11. Simplification of procedures for reaching agreements among viable businesses and their creditors, and improvement of legal acts regulating the bankruptcy of natural persons.
7.2. Business activities
7.2.1. Immediate commencement of introduction of the adopted business support programme.
7.2.2. Reduction of the number of unjustified additional requirements and control procedures which have resulted from the transposition of the EU legislation.
7.2.3. Improvement of the progresses in the domestic market, ensuring equal competence conditions in retail business, and taking measures in order to reduce administrative burden in the service market.
7.2.4. Immediate establishment and introduction of mechanisms for financing current assets of companies appropriate to the current crisis situation.
7.2.5. Acceleration and simplification of the absorption of EU funds by increasing its efficiency.
7.2.6. Reduction of administrative burden and simplification of the operational framework for small- and medium-sized businesses.
7.2.7. As far as possible, the involvement of the private sector in performing such state and local government functions which are not related to the state security.
7.2.8. Development of a financing scheme for the creation of innovative products, thus, in cooperation with the scientists of Latvia, stimulating the designing and introduction of specific innovative products in manufacturing.
7.2.9. Adoption of the Public and Private Partnership Law in order to ensure the involvement of the private sector in the economy.
7.2.10. Avoiding the situations where state and local government institutions and companies demand the information, available in the state public registers, from the businesses and the general public.
7.3. Tourism
7.3.1. Promoting the development of the local tourism by achieving the increase in the number of tourists visiting the regions of Latvia, and by encouraging the people of Latvia to lead active lifestyle.
7.3.2. Increasing the international recognition of Latvia as a tourism country, thus encouraging the recurrent return of tourists to Latvia.
7.3.3. Revision of the tourism support programmes of the EU Structural Funds; allocation of this funding to the promotion of competitiveness of the tourism sector, including to the promotion of Latvia as a tourism country in the markets of high priority and to the organisation of international events in Latvia.
7.3.4. Simplification of visa issuance procedures according to the examples of good practice among the Schengen member states.
7.3.5. Simplification of declaration system for foreign visitors in Latvia.
7.3.6. Introduction of a quality standard for tourism services.
7.4. Promotion of exports
7.4.1. Immediate introduction of an operational export guaranties scheme for raising the efficiency of exports.
7.4.2. Development and introduction of a compensation, or “offset”, policy for the public procurements in the area of defence equipment and high technologies.
7.4.3. Increasing the efficiency of the external economic representations of Latvia. Introduction of a motivating remuneration system for the economic representatives of Latvia abroad.
7.4.4. Provision of legal basis of international treaties for creating new or expanding the existing export markets.
7.4.5. Introduction of an insurance system for debtors within the export transactions.
7.4.6. Definition of criteria for the selection of companies with export capacities.
7.4.7. Development and implementation of a plan on middle-term measures for the promotion of exports, and a strategy for exporting financial services.
7.5. Construction development and housing
7.5.1. Preparation and adoption of a new Construction Law and other laws and regulations improving the legal regulations governing the construction process and reducing the bureaucratic barriers.
7.5.2. Amendments to the laws and regulations in order to increase the term of construction permits up to two years.
7.5.3. Encouraging the use of local and environmentally friendly construction materials.
7.5.4. In the Public Procurement Law, incorporation of a main principle of the most economically advantageous tender for the customer, thus eliminating the corruption risks.
7.5.5. Enhancement of the professional qualification system, the procedure for construction control, and of the requirements for construction examination.
7.5.6. Efficient implementation of the Apartment Building Management Law.
7.5.7. Introduction of the Construction Information System.
7.5.8. Development of a uniform vertically integrated structure which would oversee the various stages of the construction process. Consideration of an opportunity to delegate a part of supervision functions to non-governmental or private structures.
7.5.9. Promotion of a public and private partnerships as a principle for implementing construction projects in the public sector.
7.6. Energy
7.6.1. Promotion of sustainable and justified diversification of energy resources, providing for quick and significant increase in the proportion of renewable energy resources in the energy balance of Latvia.
7.6.2. Supporting the development of cogeneration power plants that use renewable energy resources, and promoting the investments in introducing advanced technologies in energy sector.
7.6.3. Removal of laws and regulations that discriminate against renewable energy resources, as well as approximation of tax rates for all kinds of fuel.
7.6.4. Supporting the creation of interconnections integrating the Baltic energy system.
7.6.5. Taking measures for increasing the efficiency of the centralised heat supply system.
7.6.6. Development and application of support mechanisms for increasing the energy efficiency in the apartment, public and industrial buildings.
7.6.7. Design and introduction of consumer management scheme of state energy resources (end energy users and fuel).
8. Finances
8.1. Ensuring the progress towards counter-cyclical fiscal policy by balancing the budget and creating budget surplus during the period of economic growth, and by using a moderate budget deficit as an instrument for stimulating the economy during the period of stagnation or recession.
8.2. Ensuring the progress towards sustainable fiscal policy by stipulating that the increase rate of state budget expenditures shall not surpass the increase rate of the middle-term nominal GDP.
8.3. In order to foster the economic development, provision of the relatively low tax burden, and only in case of urgent necessity – consideration of introduction or increase of particular taxes.
8.4. Active combating of tax evasions, giving particular importance to the tackling of "envelope wages", VAT fraud and smuggling issues. At the same time, complying with the principle of proportionality with regard to the penalties.
8.5. In the process of reducing state expenditures, paying particular attention to the abolishment of expenditures which are unreasonable and not beneficiary for the country’s development. Implementation of fiscal policy aimed at stable macroeconomic growth.
8.6. Progressing towards early introduction of euro, ensuring the compliance to the Maastricht criteria in the nearest future and setting 2012 as an indicative term for the introduction of euro.
8.7. Definition of uniform basic regulations governing the lease of state and local government owned property units (except for apartment buildings).
8.8. Introduction of an overall declaration of incomes of the people in Latvia.
9. Internal security
9.1. Crime prevention and combating
9.1.1. Taking urgent measures in order to improve the public securing in the country during the conditions of increasing level of crime (in 2008 the crime level increased by 8.5%).
9.1.2. Preparation of a uniform programme for implementing prevention activities throughout the country.
9.1.3. Considering the increase in the number of offences committed against the property during the current economic crisis situation, taking measures to improve the amount and quality of the preventive activities of the State Police in tackling this kind of violations.
9.1.4. Drafting of amendments to the Criminal Law and to the Administrative Violations Code of Latvia, in order to decriminalise particular offences committed for the first time, which impose lesser danger to the public, thus ensuring increased financial and administrative resources for combating offences of higher level of danger to the public.
9.1.5. In the situation where the number of cybercrimes and other offences committed in the cyberspace has increased, further implementation of a complex of measures aimed at reducing the number of crimes of this type and at detecting the crimes committed; raising the qualifications of the police employees.
9.1.6. Taking urgent measures aimed at combating crimes in the area of economy, in order to prevent any hazards to the economic interests, including the prevention of market deformation which is linked to the creation of unfair competition.
9.1.7. Improvement of legislation for the protection of children against the crimes, providing for stricter sanctions against persons who have committed crimes against minors.
9.1.8. Further active combating of drug-related crimes by enhancing cooperation with local government and public organisations, paying particular attention to combating illegal circulation of narcotic and psychotropic substances and their precursors; elimination of supply and demand of drugs.
9.1.9. Taking a series of national measures aimed at active prevention of sexual abuse of persons and human trafficking.
9.1.10. Assessment of the increase tendencies in the number of organised crimes and their most frequent forms in Latvia and other countries, as well as of the potential threats and hazards in the current economic and social situation.
9.1.11. Increasing the internal control of the domestic affairs system in order to fight corruption among its employees.
9.1.12. In combating terrorism, drug circulation, illegal trade in arms, human trafficking, enhancement of cooperation with Interpol and other European and international institutions and foreign offices.
9.1.13. Increased prevention of illegal immigration by tackling persons who provide jobs and accommodation to the illegal immigrants, as well as by improving the mechanism for tracing, registration and return of illegal immigrants.
9.1.14. Ensuring quality supervision of offenders in the community by avoiding the reduction of the current supervision level, by developing new work instruments in the probation area, paying particular attention to the minors and persons who have committed violent offences and sexual crimes.
9.2. Ensuring public security and order
9.2.1. Defining that ensuring public order and security to everyone in Latvia at their homes, at work, on the street and on their way and in public places is the key task of law enforcement institutions, setting out special requirements to their workers – professionalism, good education, fairness and commitment to serve the society.
9.2.2. Involvement of home guards in taking the public order and security measures, paying particular attention to the cooperation in regions.
9.2.3. Having awareness of the international terrorism threats, creation of the security system, also providing for efficient crisis management systems.
9.2.4. Enhancing cooperation between State and municipal police in ensuring lawfulness and public order.
9.2.5. Improvement of the interinstitutional coordination system and its management, ensuring public security and order during various mass events.
9.3. Organisation of work of the internal affairs authorities
9.3.1. Assessment of conformity of structures and activities of existing internal affairs institutions to their functions and objectives in order to achieve the economy of financial resources while ensuring the efficient operation.
9.3.2. Ensuring efficient separation of functions and exchange of information among all law enforcement institutions.
9.3.3. Support to all types of innovations and attraction of EU funds for the needs of internal affairs authorities.
9.3.4. Improvement of cooperation of internal affairs authorities with local governments, other public organisations and NGOs, as well as communication with the public.
9.3.5. Improvement of accountability of internal affairs authorities to the public by developing new forms of formal and informal reporting.
10. Development of education, science, youth policy and sports
10.1. Strengthening of development of high-quality, accessible and efficient education and science at any level in order to ensure sustainability and competitiveness of the country by providing maintenance of intellectual and material resources during the current crisis.
10.2. In cooperation with local governments, restructuring and optimisation of the network of educational establishments by aligning study programmes, ensuring more efficient use of school premises both for general education and vocational education. Extensive use of public-private partnerships.
10.3. Efficient fulfilment of the functions assigned to the Ministry of Education and Science and its subordinate institutions by decreasing bureaucracy and ensuring optimal allocation of the state budget resources.
10.4. Support to keeping primary schools, in particular elementary schools as close to the places of living of children as possible by promoting establishment of school subsidiaries and joint classes in schools with a low number of students, as well as more extensive application of the method „one teacher teaches several study subjects in study years 1-6”.
10.5. Modernisation of the contents of education at any level of education and alignmnet to capabilities, needs and interests of school students.
10.6. In cooperation with the delegated representatives of the sector – review of the contents of primary vocational education through transition to a module system – by reducing the number of base programmes, by flexible inclusion of study courses (modules) according to professional specialisation which would contribute to ensuring increased coherence with the labour market requirements, could be used in lifelong learning of adults and would motivate employers to provide training at work.
10.7. Availability of lifelong learning for upskilling needs of economically active residents and for their competitiveness on the labour market by developing public procurement related to upskilling activities. Introduction of a procedure for recognition of informal knowledge, skills and expertise.
10.8. Preservation of a uniform payment system for teachers.
10.9. Ensuring efficient management of the education process by reducing administrative burdens and bureaucratic obstacles to activities of schools and teachers.
10.10. Promotion of availability of education for children and adults with special needs by ensuring their inclusion in social life.
10.11. Promotion of implementation of higher education programs by envisaging regular updating of the programmes and re-consideration of the number of places in higher education establishments funded from the state budget. Promotion of Latvia’s higher education export.
10.12. Support to the use of scientific products and innovations in the national economy in order to provide products of a higher added value. Fostering of productivity and quality of scientific activities and their competitiveness at the level of Europe’s science.
10.13. Promotion of scientific work in higher education establishments in order to enhance qualification of academic staff and to be able to prepare younger generation scientists.
10.14. Acceleration of investments from the EU Structural Funds and other international sources into human resources and infrastructure at any level of education and science in order to provide support to more rapid development of a knowledge-based economy and to enhance competitiveness of the youth on the labour market.
10.15. Ensuring children and the youth access to interest education and vocational education in order to promote development of personality and socialisation, prioritisation of personal values, useful leisure time activities and career development. Strengthening of the capacity of national youth organisations. Ensuring preparation and events of the 10th Latvian School Youth Song and Dance Festival in 2010.
10.16. Cooperation of state and local authorities in order to ensure preparation of children at the age of 5 and 6 for school.
10.17. Ensuring linkage of the national language policy and the education policy.
10.18. Improved state aid mechanisms for the implementation of local government youth policies, for the development of national youth organisations, youth initiatives and involvement in social life.
10.19. Development of healthy and physically and mentally strong personalities through the National Sports Development Programme by emphasising the importance of youth sport and amateur sport.
10.20. Enhancement of the structure and functions of the national sports management; increasing of the role of NGOs in the development and implementation of the national sports policy by delegating functions of national importance to sports organisations; further development of sports education and the system for preparation of sports specialists.
11. Culture
11.1. Cultural Education
11.1.1. Assigning cultural education the status of a top priority in culture as an essential component of Latvia’s identity.
11.1.2. Restructuring and optimisation of resources in the cultural sector by ensuring equal payment mechanisms in the general cultural sector and in cultural education.
11.1.3. Preservation of intangible cultural heritage – traditions associated with the Song and Dance Festival, activities in amateur arts, etc. by drafting and adopting the Law „On Preservation of Latvia’s Intangible Cultural Heritage”.
11.1.4. Promotion of culture’s viability and availability in the whole territory of Latvia.
11.1.5. Application of funding from the EU Structural Funds for lifelong learning needs of teachers, trainers and academic staff in the area of culture and creative industries.
11.1.6. Awareness building activities concerning culture and creativity as an important element of any knowledge-based economy by changing the opinion that culture is a sector which only consumes resources.
11.1.7. Ensuring increased access to cultural resources on the Internet by developing culture-related websites and further implementing the project „Latvian movies in the Latvian libraries”.
11.1.8. Finalisation of the Latvian cultural canon.
11.2. Development of cultural infrastructure and preservation of cultural heritage
11.2.1. Assessment of opportunities for more efficient use of the resources allocated for the project of the new Latvian National Library.
11.2.2. According to the funding allocated – creation of a memorial of victims of the Soviet occupation which would also include reconstruction of the Occupation Museum.
11.2.3. According to the funding allocated – support to projects related to digitalisation of information resources of the Latvian culture and its heritage, in particular to the State Library Information System or the Castle of Light Project.
11.2.4. Development of the digital culture map of Latvia and the initial activities aimed at creating a list of Latvia’s intangible cultural heritage.
11.2.5. According to the funding available – support to further development of the national digital library Letonika.
11.2.6. According to the funding available from the EU Structural Funds – creation of an electronic and compatible catalogue of archives, cinemas, museums and libraries, as well as creation of the Joint Catalogue of the National Holdings of Museums; ensuring preservation and availability of documentary heritage in the national archives, including their digitalisation.
12. Welfare
12.1. Administration of the sector
12.1.1. Reduction of the administrative body of the sector by joining certain structures and functions, restructuring the payment system and ensuring economical use of the funding allocated from the state budget for the administration of the Ministry.
12.1.2. Immediate actions to prepare and submit to the Cabinet of Ministers a plan for capacity building of the State Labour Inspection in order to fight the increased unregistered employment during the crisis situation by ensuring closer cooperation with the State Revenue Service.
12.1.3. Immediate drafting of amendments to the Labour Law in order to increase flexibility of the labour market and to reduce administrative burdens imposed on employers.
12.1.4. Support to integration of people with special needs into the society.
12.2. National social insurance system
12.2.1. Alignment of the national social insurance system and the national social benefit system with the needs and capacities during the economic crisis and establishment of a control mechanism for prevention of granting ungrounded social insurance services.
12.2.2. Maximum inclusion of the resources of state social insurance instalments in the joint social security system by gradually reducing the rate of social instalments into the state funded pension scheme from 8% to 2%.
12.2.3. Focusing of the social insurance system on provision of support to the most sensitive/vulnerable social groups during the crisis and ensuring availability and stability of social services in the situation when state budget resources are very limited.
12.2.4. Prevention of worsening of the financial situation of pensioners and people with special needs notwithstanding the fact that a number of international documents signed by Latvia envisage “freezing” of pensions which implies temporary suspension of pension indexation; the further indexation process shall be defined in detail.
12.2.5. In order to ensure efficient use of the state social budget, optimisation and stronger control over the procedure for issuing of sick-leave certificates and reduction of the period of sickness benefits from 55 weeks to 26 weeks by ensuring closer cooperation with the State Medical Expertise Commission on Health and Working Capacities
12.2.6. Gradual delegation of the functions of providing services paid from the state budget to NGOs.
12.3. Support to employment
12.3.1. Addressing the issue of delegating the activities of drafting, endorsement and implementation of the labour market policy to the Ministry of Welfare in line with the best practices of the developed European countries.
12.3.2. Support to people who have lost their jobs during the economic crisis: optimisation of the unemployment benefit application procedure within the current funding limits by defining a term of the benefit which is similar for all persons – up to 9 months; support to subsidised employment of persons in pre-retirement age, persons with special needs, mothers who return to work after a child care leave by using the resources available for this puspose from the EU Social Fund, as well as support to development of paid social work in cooperation with local governments.
12.4. Family policy
12.4.1. Development of a sustainable national family policy by endorsing it with other relevant line ministries.
12.4.2. During the current economic crisis further implementation of a support policy to families as a primary national value by ensuring more efficient and sound planning of resource allocations for this purpose.
12.4.3. Creation and strengthening of a family-friendly environment by particularly ensuring opportunities to align work activities and family life, balancing of the role and contribution of both parents in performing their family duties and bringing up children.
12.4.4. Support to families experiencing a crisis situation by providing support to those persons who have become victims of violence in their families, who have lost a family member, etc.
12.4.5. Further enhancement of the extra-family care system by ensuring children opportunities to be brought up in a family-like atmosphere; enhancement of skills of children brought up in an extra-family care institution which are necessary in order to start independent life.
13. Matters related to regional development and local governments
13.1. Ensuring alignment of the strategy of Latvia’s sustainable development, the National Development Plan and EU funding priorities and implementation of respective funding programmes.
13.2. Implementation of a targeted process of national development planning in line with the Law on the Development Planning System.
13.3. Ensuring preparation of spatial plans and availability of construction rules on the Internet by facilitating public access to information about the development planning processes.
13.4. Definition of the land use policy as an element of the national development planning process by defining principles for coordinated activities of all the industries covered by the land policy.
13.5. Support to and promotion of country’s polycentric development.
13.6. By 2010 establishment of a regional administration level as a basis for formation of districts (apriņķis - a specific administrative territorial unit in Latvia). Adoption of a law on districts.
13.7. Decentralisation of public administration by increasing the role of regional and local government authorities in selection and implementation of development priorities in line with the priorities defined in the National Development Plan.
13.8. Finalisation of the Long-term Development Strategy of Latvia.
13.9. Development and implementation of a harmonised programme for the development of costal territories.
13.10. Adoption of amendments to the Law “On the Equalisation of Local Government Finances” in order to ensure sufficient funding for formation of new amalgamated municipalities.
13.11. Review of the functions delegated to local governments in view of the funding allocated for these purposes, as well as changing the status of a number of compulsory requirements to recommendations during the crisis situation.
13.12. Examination of the funding sources of local government budgets in order to foster commitment of local governments to promote social and economic development and to ensure that increased economic activities in the respective administrative territory result in increased revenues of the local government.
13.13. Implementation of national investment projects in specially supported territories as a national priority.
13.14. Ensuring availability of short-term credit facilities to local governments to ensure liquidity during the current year within local government budgets.
13.15. By reviewing the activities related to the EU Structural Funds reallocation of EU funds for complex development of local governments.
14. Traffic, transport and communications
14.1. Extensive use of public-private partnerships for construction, reconstruction and development of roads.
14.2. Promotion of the use of Latvia’s natural resources and raw materials produced in Latvia in road construction projects.
14.3. Reduction of danger spots (“black points”) on Latvia’s roads and improvement of traffic safety.
14.4. Review of the procedures and calculation methods for allocations of state earmarked grants to local governments and for development of roads by re-establishing the proportion of allocations among the state and local governments 70:30.
14.5. Development of mobility plan in cooperation with Rīga City Council in order to limit traffic jams on the main highways. Promotion of support from the EU Structural Funds for construction of transit roads and development of transport infrastructure.
14.6. More active exploitation of the opportunities open to Latvia due to its transit country status.
14.7. Further development of Rīga Airport as a cost efficient transit airport and a base airport of airline companies by fostering competition in the airline industry.
14.8. Support to development of environment-friendly transport in Latvia.
14.9. Development of a special state aid mechanism for exporting transport and logistics companies.
14.10. Improvement of the terms and conditions for cargo handling and formalities.
14.11. Promotion of the implementation of the Rail Baltic project in order to ensure integration of Latvia into the European railway transport system.
14.12. Support to an increase in the proportion of passenger transport by rail.
14.13. Further modernisation of the railway infrastructure and passenger train fleet.
14.14. Improvement of planning of traffic routs in Latvia’s regions.
14.15. Development of broadband Internet communication infrastructure in the whole territory of Latvia.
14.16. In view of the global economic situation, suspension of the privation process Latvijas Mobilais Telefons” and Lattelecom and strengthening of state control in companies by establishing a harmonised system for supervision of finances and administration.
14.17. Promotion of more extensive use of electronic signature in document circulation among public authorities, the state and companies, as well as in communication of public authorities with the society.
14.18. Review of efficiency of public services rendered by public authorities by examining opportunities to provide self-service options on the Internet, phone services and to establish one-stop agencies.
14.19. Ensuring post services throughout the territory of Latvia.
14.20. In view of the insufficient funding of broadcasting organisation in the current economic situation, reduction of payments to public media for provision of data transmission.
14.21. Review of the use of the current ICT infrastructure in new IT project in public authorities by forming joint resources of several public authorities and using outsourcing opportunities.
15. Justice
15.1. Adoption of the Law on the Court System by strengthening independence of courts and accessibility of courts.
15.2. Submission to the Cabinet of Ministers of the guidelines for the development of the court structure in order to define short-term objectives and guidelines for the development of the court system, including restructuring of the court system according to the administrative territorial reform, as well as by considering assignment of some court function to notaries and other free professions, thus increasing accessibility of courts.
15.3. Enhancement of the principle of legal presumption by relating it to sources of financial resources and property.
15.4. Amendments to the Criminal Procedure Law in order to ensure efficiency of proceedings, protection of human rights and to ensure that Prosecutor’s Office is able to disclose organisers of serious crimes and to hold them liable.
15.5. Improvement of the rules governing the administrative procedure.
15.6. Drafting and adoption of a law on courts of arbitration.
15.7. Enhancement of the regulatory framework of legal assistance.
15.8. Proposals for amendments to the Insolvency Law in order to make the insolvency process more efficient, thus improving the business environment in the Republic of Latvia.
15.9. Drafting and submission to the Cabinet of Ministers of laws and regulations which would stipualte provisions for the protection of borrowers of mortgage credits for their only home.
15.10. Examination of administrative burdens caused by statutory regulations, review and simplification of the bureaucratic procedures by optimising the structure of public administration institutions, preventing any functional overlapping and merging institutions with similar functions or a small number of employees in order to cut administrative costs.
15.11. Simplification of the administrative procedures in the public registries by guaranteeing public access to high-quality information and by reducing the time period required for provision of a service.
15.12. Review of the functions of the State Land Service and the Land Register in order to simplify the registration procedures and to implement the principle of one-stop agency.
15.13. Review of the cadastral values by ensuring more flexible calculation in case of rapid changes on the market of immovable property.
15.14. Improvement and more efficient activities of the State Probation Service by strengthening security of the society and supporting fight against crimes.
15.15. Submission to the Cabinet of Ministers of proposals on the development of the cadastral surveying process in order to review cadastral surveying of constructions and define further moves.
15.16. Drafting and submission to the Cabinet of Ministers of draft laws and regulations aimed at introducing official electronic publications.
15.17. Drafting of amendments to the statutory regulations aimed at ensuring parliamentary supervision of the national security authorities and coordination of activities under leadership of the Prime Minister.
15.18. Ensuring a well-developed and modern system of administrative penalties. Submission to the Saeima of the draft Administrative Penalty Law.
15.19. Drafting and implementation of a criminal penalties policy, enhancement of the enforcement process by improving the quality of enforcement.
15.20. Reorganisation of the system of imprisonment places by optimising the number of prisons and their infrastructure.
15.21. Drafting and submission to the Cabinet of Ministers of the draft Law on the Data State Inspectorate in order to strengthen its status of an independent authority in line with the EU requirements.
16. Health care
16.1. Prevention of inefficient use of state budget resources and distortion of competition by defining equal pricing criteria for health services.
16.2. Reduction of administrative burdens and bureaucracy by further reorganisation of direct public administration institutions (agencies) in the health care sector.
16.3. Reorganisation of the network of hospital treatment service providers on the basis of economic calculations and preventing adverse effects of service availability and quality.
16.4. Involvement of other line ministries in improvement of public health: the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Welfare and the Ministry of Agriculture, as well as local governments and NGOs.
16.5. In order to promote healthy lifestyles and prevention of illnesses, re-introduction of a health course in schools and definition of the available preventive checkups and guarantees to the public of their availability irrespectively of the place of living.
16.6. Clear separation of health care services financed by the state from paid services by providing precise public information concerning availability of such services.
16.7. Assignment of the status of a top priority to ambulatory (outpatient) health care as close to patient’s place of living as possible. Ensuring equal health care opportunities by developing health care guidelines and system for quality assessment.
16.8. Adoption of the Law “On Patient Rights” which would stipulate protection of the rights of patients and medical practitioners.
16.9. Further development of the first aid system by also developing opportunities of alternative aid closer to the place of living and provided by family doctors, feldshers and trauma units.
16.10. Accelerated implementation of e-health by using modern technologies.
17. Environmental protection
17.1. Development and adoption of new environmental policy guidelines by defining the main objectives and activities for the development of the environmental policy during the next seven years.
17.2. Involvement of the Republic of Latvia in the trade of emission quotas by establishing a climate change financial instrument in order to strengthen development of renewable energy resources, energy-efficient solutions and environmental technologies.
17.3. Development of a harmonised nature protection management system.
17.4. Enhancement of the legal base for waste management and finalisation of the system of municipal waste landfills.
17.5. Implementation of projects related to improvement of the drinking water and waste water systems in Latvian cities, towns and settlements.
17.6. Development and adoption of river basin management plans by ensuring public discussions and by starting their implementation.
17.7. Ensuring fishpasses in small hydro power plants.
18. Development of agriculture, food production, forestry and fisheries
18.1. Allocation of 27 million LVL for dairy farming according to the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers of 3 February 2009.
18.2. Re-orientation of EU and state aid programmes in order to promote production and competitiveness of the respective industries, thus stimulating economic activities.
18.3. In all national positions of Latvia concerning the EU budget definition of agriculture, rural development, forestry, fisheries and support to these industries as a priority equal to other payments of the aid of EU Member States.
18.4. Ensuring that direct aid payments under the Common Agricultural Policy are defined according to objective and non-discriminating criteria for all farmers in the EU.
18.5. Support to and promotion of exports of Latvian agricultural, food, wood and fish products.
18.6. Support to cooperation of SMEs in the agricultural and fishery sector by promoting efficient production and sales procedures.
18.7. Support to cooperation of private forest owners by improving economic efficiency of forest management and sustainable forestry activities in private forest areas.
18.8. Changes in the priorities concerning supported beneficiaries and territories which are subject to the conditions for assistance from the EU Structural Funds by allocating this funding to support businesses in rural areas.
18.9. Implementation of such a forestry policy which ensures competitiveness of the industry by also complying with the requirements for the environmental protection and sustainable management of forests.
18.10. Support to restoration of natural fishery resources, to development of aquaculture and modernisation of the industry, to enhancement of competitiveness both on the internal and foreign markets.
18.11. Provision of faster balancing of the fishing fleet by the available fishery resources in order to ensure enhancement of fishing efficiency.
18.12. Support to cooperating farmers who intend to establish processing companies or take part as shareholders.
18.13. Promotion of food safety by paying special attention to traceability of food products, their quality and promotion of production to replace imported products, and promotion of direct trade.
18.14. Ensuring that the JSC “Latvia’s State Forests” ensures stability with regard to availability of wood resources in order to maintain competitiveness of wood production companies on their export markets.
11 March 2009
The nominated Prime Minister, the nominated Acting Minister for Children, Family and Integration Affairs
Valdis Dombrovskis
The nominated Minister for Defence
Imants Lieģis
The nominated Minister for Foreign Affairs
Māris Riekstiņš
The nominated Minister for Economics
Artis Kampars
The nominated Minister for Finance
Einars Repše
The nominated Minister for the Interior
Linda Mūrniece
The nominated Minister for Education and Science
Tatjana Koķe
The nominated Minister for Culture
Ints Dālderis
The nominated Minister for Welfare
Uldis Augulis
The nominated Minister for Regional Development And Local Governments
Edgars Zalāns
The nominated Minister for Transport
Kaspars Gerhards
The nominated Minister for Justice
Mareks Segliņš
The nominated Minister for Health
Ivars Eglītis
The nominated Minister for Environment
Raimonds Vējonis
The nominated Minister for Agriculture
Jānis Dūklavs
|
