Lithuanian officers seek bigger raises as government cites budget limits

Police, fire and prison officers say a planned 7.5% pay rise next year is not enough, and unions warn they could protest during Lithuania’s presidency of the EU Council if wages do not increase faster, LRT reports.

Unions say some officers earn only slightly more than the minimum wage. A newly recruited firefighter earns about 900 euros, depending on night and holiday shifts, said Miroslavas Gerasimovičius, head of the Firefighters’ Trade Union.

Police pay is similar, said Ineta Kursevičienė, head of the Association of Police Trade Unions. A patrol officer or investigator with four years of service earns 1,100 to 1,200 euros, she said.

The draft budget for next year provides for an average 7.5% pay increase for statutory officers. Interior Minister Martynas Katelynas said he would seek a larger rise. His ministry has requested an additional 124 million euros for public security, including 56 million euros for wage increases.

Katelynas said the extra funding was essential to maintain operations during a period of geopolitical uncertainty, adding that state security begins with internal security. Unions said the proposed additional funding would be a reasonable compromise and could raise salaries by a couple of hundred euros. Their goal over the next few years is take-home pay of 1,500 euros.

Firefighters’ union head Miroslavas Gerasimovičius said there was no planned pay growth in 2028 or 2029, meaning any increase could be followed by a freeze. If their demands are not met, unions may protest during the coming six months, when Lithuania holds the EU Council presidency, Kursevičienė said.

Prison officers also say their pay is low compared with other professions. An officer with about three years of service earns around 1,200 euros including night shifts, said Paulius Žvaliauskas, head of the Šiauliai Prison trade union.

Prime Minister M. Sinkevičius said pay rises would be limited to what the state could afford. Teachers and statutory officers, including police and border guard officers, are due to receive a 7.5% increase. Across the broader state apparatus, the planned increase is 2.5%, he said.

Opposition politician Mindaugas Lingė said the government could find more money for officers by dropping some new measures in its family package. He said the government should consider abandoning new spending commitments.

Teachers are also due to receive a 7.5% pay rise, but their trade union is demanding an increase of at least 10%. The union, which has previously held strikes, said further industrial action may be necessary.