State Audit Office reports major findings on children's healthcare, heating and municipal property

Latvia's State Audit Office (Valsts kontrole) held a Regional Media Day over the weekend, where council members presented findings from three completed audits to journalists, including representatives of "Zemgales Ziņas." State Auditor General Edgars Korčagins opened the event, noting that the office plans to visit regions in late November and early December to meet municipal leaders and media directly.

Children's healthcare priority exists only on paper

Council member Maija Āboliņa explained that although law designates children's healthcare as a priority, no system exists in practice to guarantee it. The state has not defined which outpatient services must be available across different areas. Checking five outpatient programs for children, auditors found that in 71% of cases, institutions did not actually provide the listed services. Information on the rindapiearsta.lv portal frequently does not match reality. Some 69% of pediatric specialists work in Riga, which delivers 79% of all state-funded secondary outpatient services for children, forcing roughly 350 children from the regions to travel to the capital for treatment each working day. In 2024, the state spent €93 million on children's outpatient care, while families paid at least an additional €14.5 million out of pocket.

Heating investments show high costs, limited returns

Council member Mārtiņš Āboliņš presented an audit on heating and building energy efficiency investments. Since 2017, renovation costs per square meter for apartment buildings have risen 127%, twice as fast as general construction inflation. As a result, in 54% of completed projects, annual heating savings do not cover monthly loan payments. By contrast, Jelgava stands out with strong results: its heating operator has rebuilt 98.9% of the city's heating networks, and the city has shifted from natural gas to biomass.

Incomplete data on municipal properties

Council member Oskars Erdmanis presented findings on how municipalities manage almost 212,000 real estate properties worth €4.7 billion nationwide. Many municipalities lack complete, up-to-date data on the condition and use of their properties. The audit calls for better record-keeping, clearer usage goals, and wider use of electronic auctions. In Jelgava, 55 properties have been sold since 2023, yet more than 100 households remain on the waiting list for municipal rental housing.