CVK - Centrālā vēlēšanu komisija

Collection of signatures for the Amendments to the Law On State Pensions

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On February 18, 2008 the association ‘Society for Different Politics and Law-Governed state’ together with Pensioners and Seniors Party handed into the Central Elections Commission the draft of an amendment to the Law On State Pensions signed by voters.

The Central Election Commission has verified the signatures and ascertained that 11,989 Latvian citizens eligible to vote have signed the draft law. So a 30-days long signatures collecting procedure should be organized for submitting the draft amendments to the Parliament.

On February 29 the Central Election Commission announced the collection of signatures in support of the draft law. It will take place from April 16 to May 15, 2008.

Voters will be available to sign the draft of amendment to the ‘Law On State Pensions’ at the places designated by local authorities, as well as at the consular or diplomatic missions of the Republic of Latvia abroad.

In Latvia signing stations will be open every day four hours a day including weekends and holidays. Signing stations abroad will be open accordingly to working hours determined by heads of the consular or diplomatic missions.

Voters who are unable to come to the signing stations for health reasons can apply for signature collection on-site, e.g. at their place of residence, hospital or social care house. Persons who are regarded as suspects or are accused and for whom custody has been imposed as a security measure are able to sign on-site, too.

The draft of  amendment to the ‘Law On State Pensions’ should be handed in the Parliament if not less than one-tenth of the citizens of Latvia eligible to vote in the previous parliamentary elections or at least 149,064 voters sign the draft law.

Information

The draft law handed in to the Central Election Commission provides to amend Article 34 of the Transitional provisions of the Law ‘On State Pensions’ for establishing that till December 31, 2009 a minimum amount of old age pension shall not be less than the state social security benefit where a ratio of 3,0 3,5; 4,0 or 4,5 is applied depending to a person’s length of insurance.