RIGA, May 17 (Xinhua) -- After several hours of debating on Thursday, Latvian lawmakers rejected a no-confidence motion against Health Minister Anda Caksa, proposed by an opposition party, local media reported.
The demand for the health minister's resignation, which was proposed by the parliamentary faction of Latvian Association of Regions, was rejected by 49 votes to 33, with two abstentions.
Silvija Simfa, an MP of the Latvian Association of Regions, said that although Caksa has been heading the Health Ministry for nearly two years already she has not managed to fix the health sector and deal with issues like the clumsiness of the e-health system, long lines of cancer patients waiting for treatment and costly construction projects of Latvia's leading hospitals.
Romualds Razuks, an MP of the ruling center-right Unity and chairman of the parliament subcommittee for public health, said that the parliamentary supervision of the Health Ministry is necessary and is being ensured, but that "demanding the minister's resignation would mean stopping the ongoing health financing reform".
The Unity faction therefore decided not to support the demand for Caksa's resignation.
Caksa, who also present at the parliament session, told lawmakers that the health sector was in a state of neglect when she took office as Latvia's health minister two years ago. During her tenure, however, a reform has been launched, providing around 200 million euros (236 million U.S. dollars) in additional financing for health care. By now, the health budget has surpassed a billion euros already, the minister said.
"I hope to receive the mandate so that the ministry and I can continue our work," Caksa said. (1 euro=1.18 U.S. dollars)
