Lithuanian president approves of minimum wage raise

Grybauskaitė said on Monday that social security and reduction of social exclusion were some of the main priorities for Parliament’s spring session which were discussed with the Board of the Seimas.

“Without a doubt I approve of discussions and the possibility to increase minimum monthly wage this year,” she said.

Grybauskaitė had previously mentioned that she was a supporter of the idea to increase salaries. According to the president, it is necessary to increase the lowest salaries, welfare payments and pensions.

“This has to be done in tune with financial possibilities and, as far as I know, the same priority is shared by the Seimas and the Government,” said President Grybauskaitė.

As reported, the Seimas Coalition, consisting of the Social Democratic Party, the Labour Party, and the Order and Justice party, has agreed to raise minimum monthly wage to EUR 325. Grybauskaitė notes that this would still be one of the lowest figures in the Baltic states and should be consistently incremented every year.

Currently the minimum monthly gross wage amounts to EUR 300. It was previously increased on 1 October 2014.

In Estonia the minimum monthly wage is EUR 355, in Latvia – EUR 320 in Poland EUR 397.