EN 
LV We call for funds to be allocated for the maintenance of state drainage systems
The association "Farmers' Saeima" has sent a letter to the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development, the Saeima commission and members of parliament with a call in the draft law "On the State Budget for 2018" to allocate at least 500 thousand euros from state funds for the maintenance and operation of state drainage systems and drainage systems of national importance in 2018.
The association "Farmers' Council" has received numerous complaints from farmers and forest owners in recent months about the inefficient operation of state and national land reclamation systems. In many cases, the aforementioned problem is the reason that worsens or completely disrupts the drainage of water from shared and single-property land reclamation systems.
This year's prolonged rains, which flooded large areas and made harvesting difficult and in some places even impossible for farmers, were evidence of the unsatisfactory state of land reclamation systems in Latvia.
The Land Reclamation Law stipulates that the maintenance and operation of state and national importance land reclamation systems shall be provided for by the state budget, but the maintenance of common-use and single-property land reclamation systems shall be taken care of by the relevant land managers. The technical condition of state and national importance land reclamation systems shall be such that the operation of common-use and single-property land reclamation systems is not disturbed and they are able to regulate the moisture regime in the soil. Otherwise, landowners have no opportunity to maintain the operation of their land reclamation system and there is no point in investing funds in the arrangement of the system.
Chairman of the Board of the Association "Farmers' Saeima" Juris Lazdins": "In order for landowners to invest their own and attract European Union funds in the maintenance and renovation of the drainage system, there must be confidence that the drainage system will operate by diverting water into national drainage systems. The maintenance of the aforementioned systems is of primary importance, however, state budget funding is insufficient to cover all necessary operating expenses and prevent the system from deteriorating. Additional funding is not just a whim or caprice of farmers, it is a vital necessity, because state drainage systems in poor condition affect not only the flooding of fields, but also the productive growth of forests, the condition of state and municipal roads, as well as the prevention of flooding of populated areas. Although European Union structural fund funding has already been invested in the reconstruction of state and national drainage systems and this year the attraction of EU funds for the renovation of national water drains continues, the funding for these works is completely insufficient."
"The Farmers' Saeima" calls on the involved ministries, Saeima commissions and deputies to support the association's proposal for the allocation of additional state budget funds for the maintenance and operation of state drainage systems and drainage systems of national importance.