According to the Revised European Social Charter, minimum old-age pensions in Latvia should be at least EUR 341 per month.
Ombudsman Juris Jansons referred to the Constitutional Court regarding the non-compliance of the minimum age pension with the law. According to him, there is a lack of methodology for how the minimum pension is calculated.
“In order for a person to exist with dignity, there must be a concrete, specific calculation of what is necessary to ensure basic needs. There is no doubt that, with pensions, a person has to be able to provide basic needs. There is a question of methodology. This is what the government has not been able to explain or prove(..). And the only methodology has been some kind of political talks or so-called political deals,” Jansons said.
According to data from the National Social Insurance Agency, in September 64 762 people received a minimum base for old-age pensions. That is 14.5% of all persons receiving old-age pension.
