Minimum wage in Lithuania may cross pretax threshold of EUR 1,000 in 2025 – minister

VILNIUS – Social Security and Labor Minister Monika Navickiene forecasts that the minimum monthly wage in Lithuania may cross the 1,000-euro pre-tax threshold next year.

“The considerations are correct, the minimum wage should definitely rise as agreed by our social partners. The economic situation at the time of the final negotiations will also be important, but the formula [for calculating the minimum wage] would certainly allow for this. The minimum wage should definitely surpass the poverty risk threshold and the growth should be more significant,” she told the Ziniu Radijas news radio on Thursday.

According to the minister, the negotiations on the minimum wage, which would come into force in 2025, have not yet been finalized.

“These discussions are still ongoing and will continue until the final figures are approved,” Navickiene said.  

She was also skeptical about the Farmers and Greens Union’s proposal to extend annual leave for all workers by two days.

“All good and nice wishes before the elections should probably be viewed with a bit of a political subtext,” Navickiene noted.

“Changes should not be made by individual politicians, but should be agreed between workers and employers, and I am inclined to leave those agreements to the Tripartite Council," she added. 

Navickiene also questioned whether it would be worthwhile to cancel one of the available days off, such as May 1, in order to raise additional revenue for the budget to finance defense needs.

“It would certainly not be a panacea just because the cancellation of one day would not be enough to fund, say, one challenge,” the minister said.