More Equality - More Safety
by Vera NYGARD
Riga, Latvia 21 March 2019.
EAPN-Latvia and EAPN EU Inclusion Strategies Group (EUISG) organised a short conference in Riga in March. A panel consisting of both EUISG members and representatives from government, Latvian EU commission and the political party The Progressives presented their views on the current situation in Europe. The theme of the conference was “Tackling the Growing Income Gap”, and the host country Latvia was naturally in focus. People living in poverty are still generally blamed for being poor despite the fact that it is decision makers that have created a system that is mainly profitable for the affluent. Generally, inequality keeps growing and the gap between rich and poor is widening. Robert Putnis from the political party “The Progressives”, emphasised that because Latvia lacks the social democratic tradition that many other member states have, political parties are to this day hesitant to voice the issue of poverty.
As in many other settings, the lack of political will was highlighted as the main reason for growing inequality. "There is a crisis in Europe and inequality should be a number 1 priority for the EU", stressed Sian Jones from EAPN. Inequality is a major threat to the people of Europe.
