On the night for the coming Sunday at 3.00, the clock arrows are transferred for one hour ahead. An endless story about the winter and summer time, which was supposed to end in Latvia this year, will likely continue. Busy confidence with coronavirus, Years can not resolve this issue. And no one guarantees that at the end of October again do not have to move the clock.
To the history of the question
In the countries of the equatorial belt and in the summer, and in winter the longitude of the day almost does not change. We also, in more northern latitudes, the situation is different. If in June on the latitude of Latvia at 23.00 light, then in winter it darkens very early. And scientists in Europe in the XIX century began to think about how to correct the situation. The output seemed to be perfectly simple - the seasonal translation of the clock to make people get up earlier.The first arrows of the clock began to translate in Germany in 1916 to save energy resources. The example was followed by both its allies and the countries of the Entente. But after the end of the war in 1918, Germany refused to transfer the clock and again introduced this system in the 1940s under the rule of the Third Reich. In 1945, the system was canceled and again introduced in 1949 in Germany and in the 1950s in the GDR. In Germany, the abolition of summer time occurred in 1960, and its new introduction was considered necessary during the oil crisis of 1973.
Residents of Latvia began to turn the arrows of the clock from April 1, 1981 along with the rest of the USSR. Then Latvia lived in Moscow time. The reason for the innovation was called economy of electricity. Of course, in those times, when it was necessary to get up in the first shift, it was convenient to go to work at the factory.
Now many, on the contrary, terribly annoys the evening darkness, which in December, taking into account our widespread winter cloudy weather begins at 15.00. And what kind of energy savings can we talk about the market economy in general, when the energy company, on the contrary, are interested in growing sales?
At the time of Atmoda, the Supreme Council of the Latvian SSR decided to translate the clock arrows one hour ago, refusing Moscow time. Then the politicians were painted with might and main that Latvia became closer to Europe for one hour. In 2000, the Ministry of Economy went even further, reached the time in the summer of another hour ago to live in Berlin and Paris. And it was very funny to go through a deserted Riga at 4 am, when the sun was already bright, and all the townspeople slept.
After Latvia's accession to the European Union, the time of the translation of watches began to dictate Brussels in the country. Every year, the EU member states translate arrows at the last Sunday of March and on the last Sunday of October. The legislative standard was introduced in 2002. But most Europeans, including Latvians, does not suit this order.
Not in our competence
In Latvia, in August 2013, on the Portal of Public Initiatives, Manabalss.lv began collecting signatures for refusing to go to winter and summer time. The author of the petition was Guntis Yankovskis. It was also proposed to change the time zone of Latvia with UTC + 2 (GMT + 2) on UTC + 3 (GMT + 3), i.e. back to Moscow time. The author of the initiative noted that each country has the right to choose a clock zone.
According to Yankovskis, the translation of watches from winter time for summer and back violates the biological rhythm of man, which is most often manifested in children, older people and people with chronic diseases. As a result, the Company is experiencing unnecessary stress.
The necessary 10 thousand signatures under the petition gathered quite quickly. The People's Initiative was transferred to the Sejm, but the deputies stated that they could not do anything, since the manipulation over time is the prerogative of Brussels. As can be seen, since then has passed for eight years, and our "servants of the people" have not shown a special initiative.
But in Finland, folk chosentes turned out to be more active. In this country, in order to cancel the seasonal translation of the shooter, more than 70,000 people signed. Finnish parliament supported the initiative. It is representatives of this country and become the initiators of the cancellation of seasonal time throughout the European Union. It turned out that the procedure of spring-autumn translation of hours was tired of many Europeans.
The European Commission held the largest survey of residents in the history of the EU. It took part about 4.6 million people. And 84% of respondents supported the abolition of the transfer of hours on the summer and winter time. Most of the votes "For" turned out to be in Germany and Austria. In Latvia, 9.5 thousand inhabitants expressed their opinion. The result was slightly above the EU average (85% wish to live in one time constant).
Long process of coordination
It would seem that European Commission officials must listen to the will of voters. No matter how. Began a long process of coordination between countries. Although in 2019 came to a single position, assumed that the last translation of the watches in the countries who had chosen the summer time was planned in March 2021, and in countries who have chosen the permanent winter, in October of the same year.However, it was necessary to solve the legislative bodies of all EU member states. But the coronavirus pandemic broke out, and the topic is so "insignificant" in a long box. Therefore, the Ministry of Economy of Latvia published a notice that is notified that, while in the European Union, they will not come to a single opinion about the translation of the clock, Latvia will go from winter time for summer and back. Until October 31, the country will live in summertime.
The position of Latvia was also confirmed, approved at the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers on February 19, 2019. She suggests that the country is ready to go for summer time and continue to live on him all the time. But it is desirable that all the countries of the region remain in one time zone, which is still to be negotiated. The position of Lithuania and Estonia is similar to Latvian. Finland and now lives in one time zone with the Baltic countries. But in Sweden and Poland, it differs.
We will sleep one hour less
If during the transition to winter time we add one hour of sleep, then in the spring, on the contrary, take away. Of course, in the current conditions of restrictions caused by a coronavirus pandemic, many work out of the house, and some are generally sitting in forced vacation. At night, no one out of home leaves - nightclubs and bars are closed. The international passenger message is minimized. Therefore, the translation of the clock will not have a special influence on the economy.
In addition, people have more opportunities to survive these unpleasant days. To do this, you only need to rebuild the usual rhythm in the first days of life in summertime. The most basic rules include the following: before the time of the translation of the time it is desirable for several days in a row to be hurt well; Before bedtime, it is necessary to air the room in which a person sleeps (the optimal room temperature for sleep is not higher than 22 ° C); In the afternoon, do not drink coffee and strong tea; Dinner should not be calorie and heavy; At least an hour should be allocated for walking in the fresh air, because oxygen brings the nervous system to normal, removes the voltage.
In addition, the transition for the summer time the body perceives better, as an hour of light time is added. If on Saturday, March 27, the sun will go to 18.53, then on Sunday, March 28, - already at 19.55. The other thing is the October transition for winter time. But maybe, before that time, the European Union still agrees and implement a common position developed back in 2019?
Alexander Fedotov.