On July 5, it was decided during the National Tripartite Cooperation Council meeting by social partners and the government to keep minimum wage amount in 2013 on the same level it is now – 200 LVL. This decision will supposedly motivate less qualified unemployed people to seek a swift integration in the job market; it is also intended for decreasing structural unemployment risks.

Compared with other Baltic states, minimum wage amount in Estonia is 203 LVL, but in Lithuania it is even lower than in Latvia – 162 LVL, State Chancellery reports.

Meeting participants also adopted information about actualized projections on macroeconomic indexes in 2012-2015. Latvian Employers’ Confederation supported the progress towards meeting the Maastricht criteria, creating an opportunity to join the Eurozone in 2014, as well as progress towards the increase of Latvia’s international competitiveness, improving tax policy and business environment.

The concept of Healthcare Ministry about linking healthcare services to tax payments was also supported during the meeting. Contracting parties agreed to continue the work on improving this concept, this includes clarification on how much tax will be included in the healthcare budget and how big large an amount tax non-payers will need to pay to receive healthcare services.

Healthcare ministry points that the project for mandatory health insurance provides for a state funded minimum of healthcare irrelevant if the person pays the tax or not. It was also admitted that the new healthcare service funding system will motivate people to pay taxes, thereby reducing the hold of shadow economy.

Ref: 102.109.109.2480