One of the most important Latvian aims for 2007-2013 programming period is equable whole country development in all areas. Therefore Latvia is using European Union (EU) funds to stimulate citizens’ welfare and increase quality of life not only in the capital city of Latvia – Riga, and biggest cities in Latvia, but also in regions and rural areas. Latvian regional policy goal is to decrease unfavourable disparities between regions of Latvia. Realization of activities to decrease disparities in regions implies that Latvia will observe region individuality and opportunities to conserve and develop each territories nature and culture characteristics and potential.
EU has extensive financial support possibilities to decrease regional disparities. One of the EU regional policy aims is structural changes to stimulate less developed regions. In the period of 2007-2013 one of the most important cohesion funds aims is equable territories extension. Using EU financing, Latvia will stimulate regions development, centred in human resources maintenance, economic activity stimulation and varied services provision, this way providing populated area attraction and life quality rising. As cities and rural areas development happens through mutual interaction, in the context of regional policy it is important to provide balanced support for cities and rural areas.
To improve development in the country and its regions, is was created Latvia’s National Development Plan 2007-2013, which main idea are to set main activities that will be able to ensure stable growth of the country and society. One of the main ideas for regional development is polycentric development within a network of towns, which could ensure the necessary preconditions for the development of a well-balanced state. The towns have to give an important and effective development impulse for each region and of all country. The perspectives and potential of regions have to be determined in the context of spatial planning actions in collaboration with the local governance, public institutions, non-governmental organisations and citizens.
The main tasks in this area are to allow the development of national planning system to achieve horizontal and vertical collaboration on all planning levels, based on a regular national development analysis and flexibility, to be used in case of need to adapt the sectorial plans of development according to the needs of a balanced development of the regions. An also important challenge is to stimulate the development of collaboration among towns and rural spaces, which allow creating and strengthening functional relations between the urban and rural territories.
In order to improve all regions development one of the most important factors is people who live in this regions. But in Latvia there are big problems with emigration, because people go abroad searching better life conditions. This is happening especially since two years ago, because of the economic crisis that has been felt in all over the world. Because of that, a lot of emigrants has even returned to Latvia, as it turn difficult to find jobs everywhere in Europe. Also there is migration between regions of Latvia, because major activities and services are concentrated in capital city Riga and people tend to move to Riga to get better job opportunities.
The positive migration balance is only in Riga region. For the rest regions of Latvia this migration balance is negative. This is a really big problem in Latvia. Mainly, this happens because in their regions there are no job opportunities and employment is very low.
To improve development, Latvia’s government should think more in people and their welfare. It is important to stimulate business activities in all regions of Latvia, allowing people to get jobs and, this way, fighting emigration to other regions or even to other countries. People are the most important resource of the country. This should take government to create better economic and social conditions to the development of all regions.
Kristiana Lice
EU has extensive financial support possibilities to decrease regional disparities. One of the EU regional policy aims is structural changes to stimulate less developed regions. In the period of 2007-2013 one of the most important cohesion funds aims is equable territories extension. Using EU financing, Latvia will stimulate regions development, centred in human resources maintenance, economic activity stimulation and varied services provision, this way providing populated area attraction and life quality rising. As cities and rural areas development happens through mutual interaction, in the context of regional policy it is important to provide balanced support for cities and rural areas.
To improve development in the country and its regions, is was created Latvia’s National Development Plan 2007-2013, which main idea are to set main activities that will be able to ensure stable growth of the country and society. One of the main ideas for regional development is polycentric development within a network of towns, which could ensure the necessary preconditions for the development of a well-balanced state. The towns have to give an important and effective development impulse for each region and of all country. The perspectives and potential of regions have to be determined in the context of spatial planning actions in collaboration with the local governance, public institutions, non-governmental organisations and citizens.
The main tasks in this area are to allow the development of national planning system to achieve horizontal and vertical collaboration on all planning levels, based on a regular national development analysis and flexibility, to be used in case of need to adapt the sectorial plans of development according to the needs of a balanced development of the regions. An also important challenge is to stimulate the development of collaboration among towns and rural spaces, which allow creating and strengthening functional relations between the urban and rural territories.
In order to improve all regions development one of the most important factors is people who live in this regions. But in Latvia there are big problems with emigration, because people go abroad searching better life conditions. This is happening especially since two years ago, because of the economic crisis that has been felt in all over the world. Because of that, a lot of emigrants has even returned to Latvia, as it turn difficult to find jobs everywhere in Europe. Also there is migration between regions of Latvia, because major activities and services are concentrated in capital city Riga and people tend to move to Riga to get better job opportunities.
The positive migration balance is only in Riga region. For the rest regions of Latvia this migration balance is negative. This is a really big problem in Latvia. Mainly, this happens because in their regions there are no job opportunities and employment is very low.
To improve development, Latvia’s government should think more in people and their welfare. It is important to stimulate business activities in all regions of Latvia, allowing people to get jobs and, this way, fighting emigration to other regions or even to other countries. People are the most important resource of the country. This should take government to create better economic and social conditions to the development of all regions.
Kristiana Lice
[Artigo de opinião produzido no âmbito da unidade curricular “Economia Regional” do 3º ano do Curso de Economia (1º ciclo) da EEG/UMinho]
Sem comentários:
Enviar um comentário