Government Official Siliņa advocates for halt in ministerial salary increases
In a significant development, Latvia's Prime Minister, Evika Siliņa, has suggested that a wage freeze should also apply to members of the Saeima, the country's parliament, as part of the 2026 budgetary discussions.
The discussions, which are currently underway, have seen several key measures and proposals put forward, although the detailed allocations for security, education, and family support are not fully specified in the available information.
In terms of security, the state budget for 2025, which sets a precedent for future allocations, prioritises defence spending. However, specific measures for security in the 2026 budget are not detailed in the available sources.
Education and health services, on the other hand, have been highlighted as priority areas that will not be significantly affected by budget cuts. Prime Minister Siliņa has emphasised that budget savings should not impact benefits, education, health services, and similar expenditures.
Regarding family support, there is no specific mention of new measures in the available information. However, the government's commitment to maintaining social protection and welfare suggests that family support programs might be shielded from significant cuts.
Proposals for reducing public sector spending also include reductions in remuneration, which could potentially include wage freezes or other forms of compensation adjustments for public officials. However, there is no specific confirmation that wage freezes have been officially implemented or are among the final proposals.
The Prime Minister did not provide specific details about the duration of the salary freeze, but she did indicate a commitment to looking for new solutions for budgeting in 2026, without specifying what these solutions might be. She also suggested a political gesture, stating "we must start with ourselves" in the context of public administration funding being reviewed.
The Prime Minister's call for budget prioritisation was made on Latvian Television's programme Today's Question, but the specific question was not mentioned. Last year, the Prime Minister froze party funding, as mentioned in the context.
The opposition had been urging such a step a year ago, according to the context, although the name of the opposition party was not specified. The Prime Minister's statements were made in response to a question about potential salary freezes and whether her call was too late. The context did not provide information about the specific reasons for considering salary freezes.
The government does not have the power to decide on salary freezes, but the Prime Minister called on the ruling coalition's MPs to decide on the issue. The Prime Minister stated that the budget planning is for three years, not just one.
Overall, while the government aims to reduce public sector spending, there is an emphasis on protecting essential services such as education and health, which indirectly supports families and security through social stability. Final decisions on specific measures are still being evaluated and will be assessed until at least August 2025.
- The government's proposed policy regarding Saeima members includes suggesting a wage freeze for the 2026 budgetary discussions, as announced by Prime Minister Evika Siliņa on Latvian Television's programme Today's Question.
- In the context of reducing public sector spending, the Prime Minister's statement on potential wage freezes for public officials sparked interest in the realm of politics and policy-and-legislation.
- Discussions about the 2026 budget have shown an avoidance of significant budget cuts for general-news areas like education and health services, despite the government's proposals for budgetary adjustments, including potential wage freezes.
