On 3 November, President Edgars Rinkēvičs met with Minister of Welfare Uldis Augulis in the Riga Castle to discuss social inclusion and employment policy issues, including funding for deinstitutionalisation projects, as well as the issue of the minimum income threshold.
During the meeting, President Rinkēvičs drew attention to the fact that during his regional visits, concerns about the future financing of deinstitutionalisation projects after the 2014-2020 financial programming period of the European Union (EU) were raised almost everywhere. It is therefore important to ensure the continuation of established services, recognising that this is both a national and local responsibility. Currently, some municipalities are active with their funding, while others are not able to find co-financing. As a result, there are differences in the range and quality of services available to citizens in different regions.
The continuation of the provision of social services after the end of the EU funding period is also a major challenge for municipalities. Although funds will be available in the next funding period, they will only be for new measures, not for maintaining existing ones.
The parties also discussed the issue of employment policy, which includes access to labour, the health of workers, appropriate skills, and an inclusive working environment.
