Education and Science, Latvia, Wages

"We have agreed that tomorrow at the government meeting a decision will be made on a pay rise for the teaching staff of higher education institutions from September this year," the prime minister said.

Justice Minister Janis Bordans (New Conservative Party) added that a source of funding has been found for the pay increase and that salaries will rise for the academic personnel of higher education institutions subordinated to the Education and Science Ministry, the Health Ministry and the Agriculture Ministry.

Atis Zakatistovs, the leader of KPV LV party, noted that financing has only been provided for this year. 

Bordans said that an agreement has been reached on the additional financing that will be needed for academic staff's salaries also in following years but that this question would be addressed while working on the state budget. 

Earlier, the Education and Science Ministry voiced readiness to provide from its budget the EUR 383,777 necessary for raising the salaries of universities' teaching staff.

The Latvian Trade Union of Educational and Science Employees has been preparing to stage a protest over academic staff salaries.