Despite repeated statements from Latvian government politicians last year emphasizing the need for prudent use of the state budget, data on ministry bonuses for 2024 tell a different story—the total amount has reached 4 866 384 euros. Compared to the previous year, this represents a significant increase, surpassing the already substantial wage growth in the public sector, according to the public media outlet LSM.LV, citing the LTV programme “Kas notiek Latvijā?”
The differences between ministries remain significant—while performance-based bonuses in three ministries have slightly decreased, others have seen varying degrees of increases. Additionally, the total bonus amounts per employee vary by as much as two and a half times, the program concluded.
“Kas notiek Latvijā?” analysed the 2023 bonus data last year. Now, the State Chancellery has compiled information from the compensation accounting system, revealing that in 14 ministries, the total amount of performance-based bonuses paid out last year increased by nearly half a million euros compared to the previous year.
Statistics show that last year, the average gross monthly salary increase in the public sector outpaced that of the private sector, reaching 12.2%. However, bonus growth in ministries was even more rapid, rising by 13.97%, according to LSM.LV.
The programme also found that the largest increase in total bonuses—over 116 000 euros—was at the Ministry of Finance (FM), representing a more than 22% rise, even though the number of employees has remained unchanged.