Saeima opposition deputies have submitted amendments to the Law on the Management of the Spread of COVID-19 Infection in order to cross from it the requirement that prevents residents from doing their jobs if they do not have a valid Covid-19 certificate, as reported by Republika party deputies Ēriks Pucens and Kaspars Ģirģens.
Politicians say that their proposed amendments have also been signed by Saeima deputies Ramona Petraviča, Māris Možvillo and Ļubova Švecova.
Saeima deputies stress that the proposed changes will have a positive effect on more than 60 000 people who are currently either suspended or laid off.
«The government insists on mandatory vaccination, claiming this will help reduce the spread of the virus. Unfortunately, the current statistical data indicates the opposite – the spread of the pandemic is no longer controllable,» says Ģirģens. The politician believes it would be ‘fair and logical’ to let the people who up until now were not allowed to work to return to their jobs.
‘This would also help resolve the problem of the shortage of labourers, reduce the risk of poverty and pressure on state and municipal budgets,’ said the politician.
Saeima deputy Ģirģens also mentions the issue of «ruined lives and stress» for those people, predicting an increase of litigations against the state over forced suspension and the consequences on the quality of life.
«The government needs to admit having made a mistake with vaccination efficacy and society’s resilience against the virus. This is why it is necessary to resolve the existing situation in the interest of society and let people work again,» said the politician.
As previously reported, in Estonia the Centre Party, which is one of two political parties that form the government, suggested recently to lift Covid-19 certificate restrictions from 7 February onward. The voiced reason is because they no longer serve the goal for which they were originally adopted.
More on this topic: Estonian government party against continuing restrictions linked to Covid certificate
Opposition in Latvia proposes letting residents work without Covid-19 certificate
