Andris Maleev, a resident of the Varīņi parish in the Smiltene region, told the newspaper Ziemeļlatvija how he survives in everyday life solely on disability benefits. He is a third-group disabled person, with a pension of 238 euros a month – and this is his only regular income.
“Many don’t say how hard it is for them. What can you hide, how much is enough, you have to survive on this,” says Andris. “I live modestly. I have been doing this for many years. I carefully plan my expenses, how much I can afford for food, how much will be left for medicine, bills, including phone and electricity. If there’s nothing urgent, I buy medicine once every three months. It’s good that I live in a village. In the city, this entire amount would be spent on just living expenses.”
He still has to wait a few years until he reaches retirement age. “What’s the point of complaining? You have to live as it is. It’s good that I have a roof over my head, I live in warmth. In my opinion, poverty begins when you don’t have a roof over your head, without a piece of bread,” concludes Andris. His status as a needy resident provides him with support in the form of food packages, as well as healthcare assistance.
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