Crisis in Latvia. Crisis Diary by Katya. October 2009

2009-10-24

2009-10-21

Maria asks: "I was thinking, now when it is October, have you seen any changes in Latvia among people? I mean, we talked about that many people that lost their jobs in January will loose the unemployment money in October, have you seen any trouble or consequences of this?"

I suppose, there aren’t any researches done describing the situation of unemployed people. Some TV new programs are reporting the status-quo of some families, where both of the parents have lost their job and unemployment fee has ended. The woman of one reported family hopes to join the European Union sponsored project provided for unemployed people: unemployed people work at municipalities for a 100 LVL salary. Man hopes to find some temporary or seasonal job. I didn’t watched this reporting to the end, because of my husband - he don’t allows me to watch these crisis news, and he’s right in some point. The TV-news are reporting a big amount of a really sand and even tragic information, I have hared people saying - TV is “zombeeing” us (turning us unto zombies). The news ratings keep falling dramatically. The demand for seasonal jobs and unskilled work is high, so the employers feels free to fire people after the probative term and not to rise salary as planned in the end of probative term. So the staff’s rotation in supermarkets, depots, ports etc. is very intensive. The main solution of unemployment problem is emigration - even qualified specialists choose to work as an unqualified specialists abroad than to do nothing in Latvia.

2009-10-08

Latest jokes about economic crisis in Latvia

• The most valuable item in Latvian’s CV in 2015 will be: “During 2008 to 2010 WAS WORKING…"
• Paraphrased popular Latvian soul song “The autumn comes to decorate Latvia, but don’t try so hard - we all are already gone abroad anyway...” (originally: Latvia is the most beautiful for us anyway)
• Paraphrased Latvian folk-saying: “The one, who wakes up early, is not dismissed.”
• Old one. The crisis bird flies above Europe. “Oh, here we have France; here I can make some crisis. Here is Germany, lets do some crisis actions here… Oh, here is Latvia! But… someone has been here before me!”
• Advertisement: “Semi-island on sale. Beautiful view to the see, number of inhabitants - 2.3 millions…” (Let’s excuse authors the term “semi-island”, Latvia has never been a semi-island - at lest last 100 centuries hasn't, although the Riga gulf makes beaches and water very calm and nice place to rest at warm summers.)
• Obama asks God: “How long The USA will suffer from crisis?” God answers: “Besides this, 15 years”. Obama starts crying and goes away. Medvedev asks God” How long Russia will suffer from crisis?” God answers: “Besides this, 10 more years.” Medvedev starts crying and goes away. Zatlers asks God: “And what about Latvia, how long Latvia will suffer from crisis?” God starts crying and goes away.
• Conversation between two friends: “Why are you standing so sad besides the ATM? No reward is transferred to you?” “No, my country bankrupted giving the loan to Parex bank…” (This is a brand new idea - ATM-s of Parex bank as sepulchral monuments of Latvia state. There is a version, that Latvia made a big mistake and huge step toward the state disaster investing 673,916 million lats in saving the bankrupting Parex bank. The State Monitoring audit, published on 29.09.09., acknowledged this saving procedure done in previous bank owner’s interests.)
  
• Regular cuts and reductions is a result of president-surgeon politics …
• Paraphrased text of Coldrex TV advertisement:

- Oh, I have to wake up so early and to go to work tomorrow…
- Oh, I can understand you…
- No, you can’t!
- Yes, I can!
- But you even have no work!
- But I had it yesterday!
(Originally - one had a fly yesterday and today he’s feeling completely comfortable.)

2009-10-01

Poverty and clumsy government reforms make the situation in the state unstable

As I wrote previously, this year a super modern system of public transport tickets, called “e-talon” (http://etalons.rigassatiksme.lv/en/beginning/) is set. By the way - on August 2009 the ticket prices sold by driver has increased from 0,50 to 0,60 Ls. Douplex increase in ticket price - from 20 santimes in 2006 to 40 santimes in January 2008 has also taken place. So in recession times all the conductors were dismissed from the job and this supermondern system was introduced. This new system gives opportunity to skip buying tickets and to go by bus by free illegally. The problems arise when a crew of controllers came and verifies if the passengers has valid e-talons. As a user of public transport I have observed a lot of collisions between passengers and controllers.

The loud conflict. September 30, 21:00
This Monday I went home by public transport. Suddenly I heard loud cursing. This was an ordinary conflict between a passenger and a controller, jut a very loud one. The passenger was some well-bred old lady and a controller was a young fat woman.
- I have no money to buy a ticket. The state has reduced my pension and I have a mentally ill son. We live in a complete poverty.
- What a nonsense you are telling me! “Riga Traffic” is not a State company. Don’t you understand that this is a way you are stealing our salaries! Because of such people as you our salaries will be just 70 lats! I just can’t understand in why you are not ashamed!
- You’ re right,  I can’ t feel shame in this situation.
- Shame on you! Stand up and go out of the bus.

The diplomatic conflict. September 9, 13:30
Participants: a young well dressed girl sitting besides me and a young man as a controller.
- Dear Madam, you have no ticket and you have to pay a penalty.
- But I have no money.
- Then let’s go out and I’ll compose a report on you. What is your name?
- I don’t want to tell my name.
- Then you have to pay a penalty.
- How much is it?
- Starting from 5 lats, a maximum is 30 lats.
- I haven’t such money.
- You have to pay 5 lats as a minimum.
- I have no 5 lats in cash.
- Let’s go to ATM. I’ll accompany you.
- I have no money on creditcard, too. 
- How much do you have?
- One lat.
- Ok, then pay 1 lat. Sign here and go out.
The girl went out with an enviable pride.

Please draw your attention to proud feelings of nonpayers. These feelings remind me the TV discussion I watched yesterday - social anthropologist Klavs Sedlenieks discussed the situation in Latvia with the chief of State Police and the participant of Bauska picket. (Non aggressive picket due to the closure of Bauska’s hospital was suppressed aggressively by authorities on August 2009 - see youtube.) “The forest is getting too dry and fire hazard is high. If authorities are not capable to understand non aggressive approach, the more aggressive methods will be realized.” The audience voting showed convincing support to aggressive approaches.