With the Saema approving the state budget for 2024, politicians will see a 6% increase of their pay, as reported by the State Chancellery.
It is planned for changes to come for wages paid to the state president, Saeima speaker, Saeima deputies, the chairman of the Supreme Court, Prime Minister and ministers, as well as the parliamentary secretaries. The pay rise is planned to reach 6%.
This growth, according to the State Chancellery, is lower than it could be – wage growth is limited in accordance with what is listed in the Law on the State Budget for 2023 and Budget Content for 2023, 2024 and 2025. Without this restriction, wages of politicians and other people employed in state administration would go up by 12.4%. The wage growth restriction will be in force in 2024 and 2025.
The state president, Saeima speaker and the prime minister’s monthly wages will go up by EUR 478.
While this year the president, Saeima speaker and prime minister were paid EUR 7 962 a month, next year they will receive EUR 8 440 a month.
Saeima deputies’ pay will grow by EUR 239. Until now Saeima deputies’ pay was EUR 3 981 a month. Next year it will reach EUR 4 220. The State Chancellery explains that the specific amount paid to Saeima deputies depends on their additional duties.
The pay of Latvian ministers will go up by EUR 423. This year ministers were paid EUR 7 052 a month this year. Next year, however, they will be paid EUR 7 475 a month. The wage of the parliamentary secretaries will go up by 6%. This year parliamentary secretaries were paid EUR 6 356 month, and next year they will be paid EUR 6 631 a month.
The State Chancellery explains that, in accordance with the state budget’s opportunities, wages paid to people employed in state administration institutions is gradually increased. Wage growth in 2024 is also planned for job categories in which pay is determined by a coefficient and to those employed in the public administration for whom the currently determined monthly salary corresponds to the minimum of the 2023 monthly salary scale interval or lower than it.
No pay growth is planned for the people whose current amount is close to the middle point.
If the Saeima approves the proposed budget law in the second reading, then, according to the allocated financial resources in 2024, the head of the institution will have to ensure that the monthly salary determined for the employees of the institution from the 1st of January of 2024 is not below the minimum of the scale interval of the corresponding monthly salary group, which is determined in accordance with the base monthly salary of each calendar year, as well as ensure the pay of the employees of the institution in 2024 is not lower than 71.23% of the middle point of the scale.
The State Chancellery points out that this is a step towards reaching a level where 70% of the employees of institutions are provided with remuneration in the amount of 80% of the monthly salary paid by the private sector for work of similar value, and thus increase the ability of the public sector to compete for industry professionals, attract and retain them in public administration.
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