Latvian army commander: troops deserve bigger wages

Wages of troops of Latvian National Armed Forces (NBS) should be increased 10%, because currently the average pay is EUR 950, said NBD Commander Leonīds Kalniņš in an interview to TV3 programme 900 seconds on 2 September.
He believes if a construction worker makes EUR 1 000 a month after taxes, troops should be paid at least EUR 1 200 to EUR 1 300.
When asked about the situation on the Latvian-Belarusian border, Kalniņš said the armed forces actively support the State Border Guard. 140 border guards and troops remain on the border between Latvia and Belarus daily.
«The situation on the Latvian-Belarusian border is stable from the viewpoint that they have done all we can to make sure no illegal immigrants are able to enter Latvia’s territory,» said Kalniņš.
He says those people are not migrants, rather unlucky people being used as a weapon against Europe and Latvia.