Latvijas celu buvetajs, which is an association with ties to multiple road and bridge construction companies, invites deputies to support the proposal for the restoration of the State Road Fund, the association’s chairman Andris Berzins reported.
“We have asked coalition deputies to admit multiple times that the gradual collapse of roads, especially regional and local roads, is not a made-up problem. Residents also protest and complain about it. Their mood worsens every winter. Any person with working eyes can see that the state of roads seriously impedes economic development of regions and availability of services, as well as forces people to lose hope for a normal life and abandon Latvia,” says Berzins.
He reminds that three years ago Unity and Union of Greens and Farmers signed the plan to restore the State Road Fund with the approval of the 2015 budget. However, this promise remains unfulfilled.
“This is why we ask coalition deputies to vote in favor of Unity faction member Anrijs Matiss’ fiscally neutral and Saeima Budget and Finance Committee’s approved proposal on the restoration of the State Road Fund,” says LCB.
Berzins points out that finances provided by the European Union funds, which have successfully replaced state budget provisions for repairs and restoration of Latvia’s roads for the past fifteen roads, will end in 2018.
“If the road construction industry fails to find a different source of funding, roads will keep breaking down rapidly and road maintenance companies will be forced to close down. And this will only increase social insurance budget costs and take away approximately 70 to 80 million euros,” says LCB chairman.
He emphasizes: “Parties should put an end to the long period of indecisiveness and cowardice in regards to the country’s main infrastructure – roads”. (BNN/Business World Magazine)
