Latvian residents are increasingly dissatisfied with the actions of the government in the fight against the pandemic and even feel the desire to "shoot those who make life in the country what it is at the moment." Such results showed a public opinion survey conducted in December.
According to the study, the assessment index of the work of the government (from among positive estimates is deducted negative) amounted to in December -37 points. This is the lowest figure for 2020.
At the same time, as sociologists noted, the level of aggression in society is growing. The desire to "shoot those who make life in the country, what it is at the moment" are often experiencing 11.7% of the inhabitants, sometimes - another 28.2%. The number of aggressive people in Latvia is thus 39.9%, which is about 4% higher than a year earlier.
Also, two thirds of respondents said they did not trust the words of the highest officials about the good position in the country, the stability of the financial system and other things. They believe the statements of the authorities on such topics 27% of respondents that a little better than last year's indicator.
Wrestling
Sad for power The results of surveys have become a response to society to restrictions on the spread of coronavirus in Latvia. The emergency mode began to act on November 9 and was currently extended until February 7. From December 17, a quarantine was introduced: only grocery stores and pharmacies, cafes and restaurants serve exclusively, closed sports clubs and leisure areas. For the new year, the government introduced a curfew.
These measures have not yet faced the effect. The number of deaths detectable daily cases does not change. More importantly, it remains consistently a high proportion of positive tests for coronavirus. This indicator more than doubled exceeded the level of statistics begins the uncontrolled distribution of infection.
"From July they said:" The second wave will be, we must prepare, we work, "said Latvian political scientist Philip Raevsky. "But it turned out that the second wave came, as predicted, and the government is absolutely not ready for it."
Disorder in the cabinet
The popularity of the Cabinet of Ministers does not increase and noticeable differences among its members about the strategy of combating coronavirus. Prime Minister Kristyanis Karinsh previously even called upon his ministers not to speak on social networks with estimates of the decisions adopted at the government level.
However, it is not possible to fully resist comment. Recently, the Minister of Communications Talis Linkites criticized the international air transportation prohibition in Latvia. According to her, Latvia, every week closes the passenger communication with those countries in which the incidence of coronavirus in the last two weeks exceeds the average level by the EU in half.
"The formula for a ban on traffic is some absurd: from Monday, transportation in Sweden with an indicator of 815 cases of the disease per 100 thousand population is allowed, although two weeks ago were banned with the indicator 781," wrote Linkites in Twitter.
Voltage in society, meanwhile, is trying to use the opposition. The leader of the "Consent" party Janis Urbanovich reproached the authorities in the fact that they were not ready to make independent decisions, since this function was atrophied ", and called the Latvian people" the most patient in the world. "
Despite discontent in society, the government's large-scale protests can not be afraid. Riga in Riga is prohibited due to coronavirus. From the new year, more than 1,200 administrative processes were initiated in Latvia due to non-compliance with restrictions due to a pandemic, penalties in the amount of from 100 to 2 thousand euros are superimposed.