Context: The International Day of Older Persons is celebrated around the world on October 1. According to the United Nations, the number of people over 60 has more than doubled over the past 30 years, and average life expectancy has increased by nearly nine years, reaching 73.5 years. The number of older adults in Belarus is also growing. Nearly 1.7 million residents are over 65, accounting for about one in five people. Two-thirds of them are women.
During the October 1, 2026 broadcast on First News Channel*, Solomon Bernstein linked the situation of Latvian pensioners to the country’s military spending:
“The Latvian state is simply unable to provide its pensioners with a decent standard of living, and without support from relatives, this becomes virtually impossible. That is how the State Probation Service of Latvia commented on reports that another pension indexation would take place this fall. Let me remind you that these humiliating so-called pension indexations in Latvia are taking place against a backdrop of global militarization, with nearly 17% of the budget being allocated to NATO’s coffers somewhere across the ocean.”
Bernstein was apparently referring to the size of the increase following pension indexation. In 2026, pensions in Latvia rose by about 4–5%, while the previous year the increase was around 6–8%. Although the increase got smaller, it remained above the inflation rate.
The Weekly Top Fake team could not find a statement from the Latvian State Probation Service claiming that the government was unable to provide pensioners with a decent life without family support. This is not surprising, given that this agency does not handle pensions. It oversees the enforcement of non-custodial sentences, such as community service or probation. It also works with individuals who have been released from prison early.
While elderly residents of Latvia do face financial difficulties, these issues affect a specific group rather than the majority. According to the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia, about one in five people over 65 who live alone experienced these difficulties.
The claim that nearly 17% of the budget goes to “NATO’s coffers somewhere across the ocean” is also unfounded. Latvia has budgeted about 12% of its total expenditure for defense in 2026. This primarily covers spending on the military itself, as well as weapons and infrastructure. Contributions to NATO’s common budgets are a separate and significantly smaller expense, amounting to about € 9 million per year. This represents approximately 0.05% of Latvia’s budgetary expenditures.
* The First News Channel is another name for News.by, a news outlet owned by Belteleradiocompany.
