Fact-checkers identify false claims by politicians ahead of Latvia’s elections
In Latvia, ahead of the elections to the 15th Saeima, the Re:Check fact-checking project of Re:Baltica reviewed politicians’ statements during election debates. Fact-checkers identified exaggerations and false claims concerning spending on the public sector, healthcare funding and the rental housing programme, LSM English reports.
Spending on ministry employees
During the debate, Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs of the United List correctly stated the number of ministry employees — 3,500. At the same time, he claimed that the state apparatus with that number of employees costs €2 billion, and repeated the claim on social media platform X after the debate.
According to Re:Check, €1.97 billion in Latvia’s core budget for this year is allocated primarily for the salaries of employees at all state budget institutions, not only ministries. These institutions employ firefighters, police officers, doctors, judges and military personnel, among others — nearly 60,000 people in total. About €133 million is planned this year for the salaries of approximately 3,500 ministry employees. The Prime Minister’s Chancellery acknowledged that Kulbergs was mistaken.
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Healthcare and rental housing
Edmunds Jurēvičs, head of the New Unity parliamentary faction, said on the LTV programme “What Is Happening in Latvia?” that healthcare funding had increased by €400 million during Hossam Abu Meri’s time as minister. Abu Meri took office in September 2023. Re:Check notes that actual state funding for the sector amounted to €1.8 billion in 2023, while just under €2 billion is planned this year. Therefore, the increase amounted to around €200 million.
During a leaders’ debate in Riga, Viktor Valainis, chairman of the Union of Greens and Farmers, said that 1,200 new rental apartments for young families were being built under a programme of the state financial institution Altum. According to Re:Check, approximately 470 apartments have actually been built, while 1,200 is the estimated number of planned homes. Valainis acknowledged that he was mistaken.
