Disagreements over minimum wage in Latvia continue

According to Latvia’s Welfare Minister, Uldis Augulis, the country's minimum wage should be kept at its current level of 360 euros per month in 2014. 

Speaking to the LNT TV channel on Tuesday August 18, Augulis said the Welfare Ministry has prepared there possible scenarios surrounding the minimum wage next year. 

The first situation provides for keeping the minimum wage at 360 euros, the second for a slight increase to 367 euros, and the third to 375 euros. 

“In my opinion, it was a mistake to increase the minimum wage so steeply also this year,” said Augulis. “As a minister, I think we should keep to the current minimum wage level.”

Latvia’s Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma of the ruling Unity party, believes the minimum wage should be raised to 380 euros per month in 2016. 

However, Unity’s leader, Solvita Aboltina, believes it should be increased by another 20 to 400 euros. 

“The coalition partners will be requested to increase the minimum wage from 360 euros, to 400 euros a month.”

On January 1 this year, Latvia’s monthly minimum wage was raised from 320 to 360 euros.

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