Latvia coalition to reform Saeima deputy compensation system

Latvian coalition partners have agreed to reform the compensation system for members of the Saeima. Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs stated that the current system, which requires the submission and administration of receipts, is overly bureaucratic and has been subject to dishonest use.

The proposed changes aim to move the regulation of deputy expenses from the Saeima's rules of procedure to the Law on Remuneration of Officials and Employees of State and Local Government Institutions. This shift is intended to create a more unified and systematic legal framework and a simpler mechanism for covering expenses, particularly for parliamentarians living far from Riga.

According to the legislative annotations, these amendments do not set new compensation amounts or change the conditions for granting them, but rather change the regulatory act governing them. Additionally, the amendments seek to clarify the election process for members of the Saeima Presidium and other officials, specifying that if only one candidate is nominated, a formal ballot will not be required.