Latvia together with 9 countries becomes as a member state of the European Union on the first May of 2004. The EU had been made after the contract of Maastricht in 1992. European countries are unified economically and politically. Because of it, all these countries are the member states of the EU. I know that joining to the EU opens up new opportunities to our country but still there are many things that I do not support. What do I support and what not? I think it is important that the EU provides the social safety for citizens of the Republic of Latvia. But I am against a single currency and rapid price rise in Latvia because of being a member state of the EU.
When the citizens of the Republic of Latvia are going to live to another country of the EU they do not loose their rights to receive cash benefits and pensions that they would have achieved previously, but only if they have had done their social payments. Also people from Latvia are able to join to the employment service database of the European countries. A searcher of a work is able to fit in his CV in the database so that he could be engaged. When we are talking about education, then I can say that many students are allowed to go to other countries of the EU and they can study there various educational programs. So we can say that our social safety in the EU is guaranteed.
When we voted for joining to the EU we also voted for the single currency – euro. Very soon, I mean in 2008, we will not have our lat any more but we will have euro. In my opinion, it is very bad, because our lat has goodish value. I mean that for 1 lat we can by more than for 1 euro. Also these banknotes of euro are similar to all countries of the EU, only the coins will be different for each country. In my opinion, best of all is like it was till now, because all countries have their own currency unit and this currency unit characterizes each country, it is its identity. In no way the bank notes of euro are connected with the individuality of Latvia, only in that way that we are the member state of the EU. The currency unit of each country also is its symbol. The money symbolizes our Latvia!
The prices in Latvia are rising rapidly, but EU does not request to increase wages, the cash benefits and the pensions. The price rising is bigger than the incomings of inhabitants. Very soon the price level of Latvia will reach the average price level of the EU (In this moment the prices of Latvia, in accordance with information of the EU, are only 54% from the price level of the EU). The district heating and medical remedies are becoming more expensive. It is because of adding the value added tax to prices of the district heating (18% VAT) and medical remedies (9% VAT). Many types of merchandise are becoming more expensive especially when we think about sugar and the products that consist of sugar, for example coca cola. When we think about sugar then we clearly know that the EU wants to take it back from us. If the wages will be not increased then there will be people who won’t bee able to buy an expensive food.
Each man has his own opinion about the EU. Always thoughts are changing; also my thoughts are different from my family’s thoughts. Maybe there are many things that I do not understand about the life in the EU, but I know that we must understand that in each situation we must lose something because of achieving something else. This same situation is when we talk about the acquisitions and losses of Latvia in the EU. For the freedom and free borders, for all good things that we receive from the EU we must pay for it with the loose of our identity, our nature, woods, our natural products, and many important things. But the main decision for supporting the EU or not, leads in each man hands. For me, I have more things that I do not support than these I do. Let as make a decision for our selves!
The used literature: “Dienas bizness”- speciālizdevums( 2004.gada 1.maijs)
12 argumenti kāpēc balsot PRET Latvijas pievienošanu ES, informatīvs materiāls.