Riga, Oct 11 (LETA) - The Daugavpils City Council wants to keep 25 percent of the shares in Daugavpils Regional Hospital, according to a decision adopted by the city council.

The lawmakers decided to transfer 5,841,391 capital shares of Daugavpils Regional Hospital, or 64.291 percent, to the state, keeping 25 percent in its ownership.

After the transfer of the shares, the hospital will have four shareholders. More than 70 percent of the shares will be owned by the state, the Daugavpils City Council will own 25 percent, and the Augsdaugava Municipality and Riga Stradins University will own 2 percent each.

The government will have to decide on this offer.

Daugavpils municipality indicates that it will thus remain involved in decision-making on important issues and will continue to implement programs to attract new residents by deciding on municipal scholarships for young doctors.

Meanwhile, the involvement of the state in the management of the hospital will allow to develop the material and technical base of the largest medical institution in the Latgale region and will further ensure the quality and accessibility of medical services to the residents of Daugavpils and nearby cities at a higher level, the municipality said. The aim of the municipality is to facilitate the granting of the status of a clinical university hospital to the Daugavpils Regional Hospital.

The municipality said that by the end of the year the state plans to invest in the hospital's share capital to ensure the operation of the institution.

As reported, at the end of August, Health Minister Hosams Abu Meri (New Unity) and the head of the Daugavpils City Council, Andrejs Elksnins, announced that an agreement had been reached on the next legal steps regarding the state's participation in the management of the hospital.

"Daugavpils Regional Hospital is a strategically important medical institution, therefore it is important to ensure the continuity of the hospital's operations and the availability of services to the population of the Latgale region, the Health Ministry stressed.

The Health Ministry is a shareholder in 13 healthcare institutions.