|
RIGA, Nov. 19-- The Latvian Trade Union of Health and Social Care Employees (LVSADA) on Tuesday called for Health Minister Ilze Vinkele's resignation and announced a plan to initiate the dissolution of the Baltic country's parliament, public media reported. The union will also ask President Egils Levits not to sign Latvia's 2020 budget into law and to instead send it back to parliament for revision. The union announced a fresh protest for Nov. 28 outside the parliament building in Riga. On the same day, the union plans to submit its proposal for the dissolution of parliament to the Central Election Commission. Commenting on a separate petition launched to dismiss parliament, LVSADA Chairman Valdis Keris said the developments proved that the public was greatly discontented with the lawmakers' performance. Medical workers in Latvia have staged a series of protests because only about half of the 120 million euros (133 million U.S. dollars) originally allocated for raising their salaries has been set aside for this purpose in the country's 2020 budget. Although their salaries will go up on Jan. 1, 2020, teachers might also join the medical workers' protests since no money has been earmarked for further pay increases, which are due next September. | 
