ForMin hopes to increase salaries and strengthen work of embassies

RIGA - 8.7 million lats (12.4 million euros) is needed within the next two years to increase salaries at the Foreign Ministry, as well as to strengthen the work of Latvian embassies abroad.

Foreign Ministry State Secretary Andris Teikmanis told LETA that out of Latvia's 44 embassies and missions abroad, 26 of them are staffed by only two diplomats and staff. He said that the Foreign Ministry hopes to increase the number of staff and diplomats working at the ministry, as well as increase the number of persons working at Latvian embassies abroad.

Teikmanis also said that by 2014, the ministry hopes to increase the salary of its staff to the level set out by Cabinet regulations. “An additional 3.2  million lats will be needed to achieve this,” Teikmanis added.

He also added that several Latvian embassies abroad will be renovated in the coming years, including the Latvian embassies in Tallinn, Moscow and Vienna.

As reported, the Foreign Ministry's budget in 2012 is 28.6 million lats.