There is complete chaos in the industry! - The professor pointed out where Latvia could save billions

He emphasized that the most important issues for society are economic development, security, healthcare, and the cost of living. In turn, politicians, while considering budget cuts, should carefully evaluate where to make these reductions. Ikstens believes that cutting social spending would be both politically unwise and unfair to people who are already living on limited means. The political scientist pointed out that significant opportunities for savings could be found in public procurement. He reminded that the public sector spends approximately 5.5 to 6 billion euros annually on purchases. Therefore, it would be necessary to analyze average prices more carefully and compare how much it costs the state, for example, to construct one square meter or acquire various software. Such analysis would allow for quicker identification of cases where services or goods are overpaid. Ikstens admitted that in some cases, such situations could also show signs of corruption. The professor called for special attention to be paid to construction procurement. He noted that sometimes very high prices are quoted, which builders can later reduce by even half. "What is happening in construction is complete madness. There are fantastic prices that builders can then reduce by half," said Ikstens. He also pointed out the prevalence of envelope salaries in the construction industry. This means that the state, by investing money in such projects, does not always receive sufficient tax revenues in return. Therefore, in Ikstens' opinion, the construction industry should be monitored and regulated more carefully before investing even more public funds into it.