Latvian MPs advance petition to scrap travel and rent compensation

Latvia’s parliament has backed further consideration of a petition to end MPs’ compensation for transport and housing rental costs, LSM reported. The initiative has been signed by more than 15,700 people.

At a meeting of the parliament’s Mandate and Ethics Committee, supporters called the payments an unjustified privilege. The petition, submitted through Manabalss.lv, argues that other workers, including healthcare staff and teachers, often travel from distant regions or rent accommodation in another city at their own expense.

Andis Feldmanis, deputy head of the Latvian Trade Union of Health and Social Care Employees and one of the initiative’s authors, said some healthcare workers earning minimum wages travel between cities and work at several locations while receiving no help with those costs.

The petition says employers are not legally required to cover workers’ transport or housing expenses, and argues that MPs should not be treated more favourably than other public-sector employees. It also says candidates should take account of the costs of working in parliament before standing for election.

Committee chair Jānis Vucāns of the Union of Greens and Farmers disagreed with the petition’s arguments. The discussion also included the view that compensation is needed to ensure regional representation in parliament.