The vast majority of the Latvian population do not support a salary increase for the state’s top officials, according to a survey carried out by the Latvian Television program “What is Happening in Latvia?” published December 4.
When working on next year’s state budget, the government promised that the salaries of elected public officials would not be increased, but when the draft budget reached the Saeima, it turned out that the salaries of the country’s top officials would increase by 2.6%.
The majority of respondents, 85.3%, do not support such a salary increase, according to the “What’s Happening in Latvia?” survey conducted by the market and public opinion research center SKDS. 1,005 representatives of all social groups say no to the wage increase.
Wages and wage increases were one of the main concerns of “What is Happening in Latvia?” on October 30 , where representatives of all factions of the Saeima explained why, instead of the promised wage freeze, there are plans to increase them.
The draft state budget for 2025 foresees to limit the increase of the remuneration fund in the public administration to 2.6%, with higher increases allowed in certain areas. At the same time, it is proposed to freeze, not increase, the salaries of some categories of managerial staff. All senior public officials – the President, members of the Cabinet of Ministers, members of the Saeima – could also receive higher salary increases under the formula of the remuneration system, but the draft budget foresees a 2.6% increase for these officials.
In a survey conducted in mid-November across Latvia, 4.6% of respondents considered this to be the right decision. 4.2% of respondents say it should be increased, but less. Only 0.6% think that salaries should be increased more. However, the majority, 85.3% of respondents, think that the salary of top public officials should not be increased at all.
Looking at the answers by age, place of residence and income, 11% of respondents aged between 18 and 24, as well as 10% of high-income earners, consider the decision to be correct. The answer “Should be increased, but less” was chosen by 10% of respondents in the group with primary education.
Looking at the respondents who answered “Should not be increased”, 92% of respondents in the Kurzeme region answered this way. Among respondents who speak Russian in the family, 90% feel this way. Similarly, 65% of respondents with primary education chose the answer “Should not be increased”.
It should be noted that the amount planned for remuneration this year is €1.872 billion and €1.964 billion in 2025. According to the Ministry of Finance, the main increase in remuneration will be in the home affairs sector, as well as in certain independent bodies and the courts.
