Daniels Pavluts

With the developments of Latvia’s economy, 15 000 new jobs could be created every year using current human resources in Latvia, so that there would be no need to start importing workforce from other countries, says Minister of Economy Daniels Pavluts. He plans on carrying out special measures that would encourage Latvian abroad to return home.

«The return of those residents that left Latvia should be own first and foremost response to the job market and, respectively, to the challenges we face in developing our country’s economy. Additionally, the return of Latvian immigrants is not just an economic question, but also a question of a long term existence of our nation,»- Minister of Economy believes.

«The demographic tendency states that the number of economically residents in Latvia has decreased. While projection on the job market shows that with the continuation of economic development and re-orientation on export-capable industries a deficit of workforce can follow structural unemployment,»- the minister says.

First of all, opportunities to increase productivity should be used; residents need to be returned, and only then will it be possible to attract highly qualified specialists from abroad, which should not become a common thing, Pavluts said in an interview to 900 seconds of LNT.

Right now, it is unknown specialists of what kind left Latvia, what they are currently doing and what they are interested in; therefore, a link needs to be established with those who left and information channels need to be created, Pavluts says, according to whom, Latvian immigrants often feel no connection with Latvia whatsoever.

The realization of the first information circulation plan is expected to be realized by the end of the year. It is planned to start introducing special measures in 2013, and they will not require large investments of money. The second step would be re-introducing benefits, helping settling housing issues, allocating places in schools and kindergartens, Pavluts says.

«Job availability will not be the only reason for most immigrants to return to Latvia; therefore, salaries need to be increased, and this is a question for every industry in relation to increasing productivity. Companies need to continue improving, modernizing their production and service provision, for them to turn to producing value added products. Companies should also be wise and increase salaries, as opposed to preserving competitiveness at the expense of relatively low salaries,»- the minister believes.

«We cannot get everyone back,»- Pavluts admits, adding that impossible tasks should not be set. He believes that the economic situation in Latvia is currently developing much better than in countries to which Latvian immigrants left. He also said that many people have an emotional desire to return to their homeland.

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