Businessman may be behind protest against construction of drug rehab center at Mangalsala - Saeima deputy
The protest against construction of a drug rehabilitation center in Riga^apostrofs;s Mangalsala may have been staged by a private businessman, who would want to use the site for a recreation center or a private home, the initiator of the drug rehabilitation center^apostrofs;s project, Saeima deputy Andris Berzins, said in an interview on Latvian State Radio this morning.
The protest against construction of a drug rehabilitation center in Riga's Mangalsala may have been staged by a private businessman, who would want to use the site for a recreation center or a private home, the initiator of the drug rehabilitation center's project, Saeima deputy Andris Berzins, said in an interview on Latvian State Radio this morning.
According to Berzins, who is president of the Latvian Children's Fund, the site would be ideal for a sports/recreation center or private homes. "I will only be glad if the Riga City Council manages to find another site for the drug rehabilitation center," Berzins said.
Already since implementation of the project began, Berzins has been feeling pressured as to the choice of the site for the center - he has been reproached that he wanted to keep the land plot for himself, while some firms said they could build a recreation center there. A scout camp was located there during Soviet rule,
According to Berzins, launching the rehabilitation center has been considered for already one year, both international and local experience have been taken into account. The site was selected together with specialists of the Riga City Council. The territory of the former Soviet scouting camp has not been used for over 10 years, about LVL 150,000 are needed to clean up the area. About 80 percent of required financing have been located at this time from public funds and sponsors.
Berzins stressed that the drug rehabilitation center will be established for money his non-governmental organization will manage to find, no state money will be invested. Berzins has discussed the project with Minister of Welfare Andrejs Pozarnovs, leaders of the Riga City Council and doctors, who all admitted that such a center was necessary.
"People only talk about drugs, they treat the matter as though it were a hot potato they toss at each other," Berzins said. "But in fact, there is no practical help for youths that become drug addicts." When somebody brings drugs into Latvia, he/she is not caught, if caught - not punished, drugs are distributed in schools but no one cares, said Berzins in describing the situation.
Berzins categorically disagrees with the open letter by Mangalsala residents, which says that tenants of the rehabilitation center would endanger Mangalsala and Vecaki, make local youths drug addicts. "Dangerous is a street addict, because he is ready to anything just for one dose, not one who is supervised by the center - he can do no harm to other people, because he is controlled and receiving treatment," explained the specialist.
According to Berzins, the center will trouble local residents no more than any other medical institution. At the center, drug addicts take drugs in normal conditions, they also receive medical treatment there so that they can return to normal life. The center is meant for all youths in Riga that have drug problems, Berzins stressed.
Berzins, a resident of Riga's Kengarags, described what the situation was there. Syringes are scattered about apartment houses, and last year, two drug addicts were scared off as they were preparing to rob Berzins' neighbor's apartment. The police arrived in two or three hours, and there is no further information about the course of the investigation.
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According to Berzins, who is president of the Latvian Children's Fund, the site would be ideal for a sports/recreation center or private homes. "I will only be glad if the Riga City Council manages to find another site for the drug rehabilitation center," Berzins said.
Already since implementation of the project began, Berzins has been feeling pressured as to the choice of the site for the center - he has been reproached that he wanted to keep the land plot for himself, while some firms said they could build a recreation center there. A scout camp was located there during Soviet rule,
According to Berzins, launching the rehabilitation center has been considered for already one year, both international and local experience have been taken into account. The site was selected together with specialists of the Riga City Council. The territory of the former Soviet scouting camp has not been used for over 10 years, about LVL 150,000 are needed to clean up the area. About 80 percent of required financing have been located at this time from public funds and sponsors.
Berzins stressed that the drug rehabilitation center will be established for money his non-governmental organization will manage to find, no state money will be invested. Berzins has discussed the project with Minister of Welfare Andrejs Pozarnovs, leaders of the Riga City Council and doctors, who all admitted that such a center was necessary.
"People only talk about drugs, they treat the matter as though it were a hot potato they toss at each other," Berzins said. "But in fact, there is no practical help for youths that become drug addicts." When somebody brings drugs into Latvia, he/she is not caught, if caught - not punished, drugs are distributed in schools but no one cares, said Berzins in describing the situation.
Berzins categorically disagrees with the open letter by Mangalsala residents, which says that tenants of the rehabilitation center would endanger Mangalsala and Vecaki, make local youths drug addicts. "Dangerous is a street addict, because he is ready to anything just for one dose, not one who is supervised by the center - he can do no harm to other people, because he is controlled and receiving treatment," explained the specialist.
According to Berzins, the center will trouble local residents no more than any other medical institution. At the center, drug addicts take drugs in normal conditions, they also receive medical treatment there so that they can return to normal life. The center is meant for all youths in Riga that have drug problems, Berzins stressed.
Berzins, a resident of Riga's Kengarags, described what the situation was there. Syringes are scattered about apartment houses, and last year, two drug addicts were scared off as they were preparing to rob Berzins' neighbor's apartment. The police arrived in two or three hours, and there is no further information about the course of the investigation.
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