Financial Services, Latvia, Legislation, Wages

This issue was on the agenda for yesterday's National Trilateral Council meeting, however, Welfare Minister Uldis Augulis (Union of Greens and Farmers) asked for it to be taken off the agenda, writes LETA.

The Welfare Ministry explains that retaining the minimum wage at the current level will allow the welfare level in the country to not fall even lower. ''This is especially important for people with lower incomes in the current situation,'' Augulis believes.

The Welfare Ministry points out that the minimum monthly wages for a 40-hour week is LVL 180, whilst the minimum hourly rate is LVL 1.083 per hour.

This means that a person with a monthly minimum wage of LVL 180 (before taxes), will receive LVL 134.18 (after taxes).

According to statistics from October 2008, a total of 69,500 people, or 8.9 % of the population, received minimum wage in Latvia.