10 000 signatures have been collected on Manabalss.lv initiatives portal in favour of the initiative that suggests freezing the size of wages of the state president, ministers, Saeima deputies and «other public servants».
According to the author of the initiative Nora Freimane, the proposal suggests freezing the wages of leading state officials and public servants at their current amounts until the economic situation in the country has stabilised. The latter means stabilising the inflation at a reasonable level, and the crisis related to gas and electricity prices is overcome.
The initiative lists expectations for public servants to work in the benefit of the public – help the country and residents pull through this difficult time. Then and only then will it be possible for them to consider raising their own wages.
«It is important to keep in mind that financial commitments taken in accordance with the law are chronically disrespected, especially in regards to higher education. The sector vital to the country’s society and the country’s sustained existence remains starved for funding, and it is unlikely the situation could change now – during a crisis. So our ruling elite should be made to live in solidarity with the people and entire sectors and refrain from increasing their personal income, even if it is required by the law,» the initiative mentions.
Freimane invites freezing the wages of the state president, Saeima speaker, prime minister, parliamentary secretary, ministers and Saeima deputies until the end of this ongoing crisis.
According to Freimane, it will be possible to return to the topic of raising the wages of these officials only once the crisis is over and only as long as there are valid reasons for that.
As previously reported, as a result of last year’s remuneration reform the budget project for 2023, which will be discussed by the new Saeima soon, lists the allocation of approximately EUR 3 million towards the increase of wages of public officials, as reported by LTV programme De Facto.
As a result of this plan, in 2023 the wage of the prime minister is to increase by 52%, wages of other ministers are to increase by 42%, the wage of the Saeima speaker is to increase by 75%. No money is planned to be allocated towards the increase of wages of officials of ministers even though their wages were the intended objective of the reform, the programme reported.
Next year the state president, prime minister and Saeima speaker are to receive EUR 8 000 a month before taxes. This means an increase by several dozen percent when compared with 2020. The Saeima speaker’s wage is to increase by 75%.
The wage of the president will increase from the current EUR 6 260 to EUR 7 962, which is an increase of 27%. The Saeima speaker will be paid EUR 7 962 instead of EUR 4 565 (+75%). The prime minister’s wage will increase from EUR 5 216 to EUR 7 962 (+53%). Members of the parliament will receive EUR 3 981 instead of EUR 2 963 (+34%). Wages of ministers are to increase from EUR 4 952 to EUR 7 052 (+42%). Wages paid to parliamentary secretaries will increase from EUR 3 841 to EUR 6 256 (+63%), the programme reports.