Prime Minister Offers No Pay Rise Ahead of Planned Culture Sector Protests

Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs (of the United List party) does not currently plan to forestall planned protests by the culture sector by putting concrete proposals on pay increases on the table. This follows an explanation given to the outlet "Kultūršoks" by the prime minister's communications adviser, Elīna Šverna. Pay for people working in the sector is the issue behind the planned protests.

Responsibility passes to the next minister

Šverna said that once the new government is formed, talks with sector representatives and the preparation of a long-term plan for gradually raising pay will be the next culture minister's "serious work". In other words, the matter is being left to the next head of the ministry rather than being addressed before the change of government.

No budget talks yet

The outgoing culture minister, Nauris Puntulis (National Alliance), confirmed that the government has not yet held any talks on the sector's budget for next year. It therefore remains unclear what funding the sector might receive while the new government has not been formed and a new minister has not been appointed.