Public renews push to scrap Saeima MPs' transport and housing compensation

A new signature campaign has launched on the Manabalss.lv platform calling for the abolition of compensation payments that Saeima members receive for transport and housing expenses. Organizers argue that such a privilege is unjustified at a time when many Latvian residents cover their own commuting or out-of-town housing costs.

A significant sum from the state treasury

According to available figures, the 14th Saeima has received more than one million euros from the state budget for these purposes in less than four years. The funds are paid to lawmakers to cover travel expenses, as well as housing costs when a deputy's permanent residence is located outside Riga.

A question of fairness

The petition's initiators are asking why elected representatives should enjoy benefits that most working people do not. Many Latvians pay out of their own pocket for commuting to work or renting housing in another city, with no state support available for such expenses.

Initiatives of this kind are not new in Latvia — questions about MPs' compensation and other privileges resurface periodically in public debate. This time, however, the focus is specifically on the scale of the sum paid out over a relatively short period.

If the initiative gathers the required number of signatures, it will proceed to further review under the established legislative procedure.