In December, the Judicial Council received a collective letter from 924 judicial employees about the impact of inflation on the pay of judicial employees. The sector calls on the government to find an opportunity this year to set a proportional salary increase of at least 24% for each degree of judicial qualifications.
Judicial Council Chairman Aigars Strupišs pointed out that for many years the judiciary employees had been "starved":
"It's about assistant judges, judicial secretaries, archivists. Wages range from €900 to €1,200 before tax. If we are talking about a court where we still want lawyers with qualifications, it is clear that it is not possible to get a normal lawyer for €900 a month. It's not just a whim. This issue needs to be addressed urgently, as we have already received a warning from two-thirds of the judiciary that they are also prepared to strike if we do not raise their wages."
Strupišs explained that such a situation occurred because the organizational and financial nature of the Court of First and Second Instance was still subordinate to the Ministry of Justice. This system has failed to justify itself.
The Judicial Council wants to take over the administration and budget of the courts.
"The courts must nevertheless be independent. The courts must talk about the budget directly with the Saeima, with the government, not through the Minister. Each minister is with his political weight, with his own abilities. As today's situation shows, the current ministerial process has been quite disappointing," said Strupišs.
It should be noted that the Supreme Court does not depend on the Ministry in terms of budget. Strupišs said that the appointment of Supreme Court judges will also be one of the issues to be discussed with the new Minister of Justice, Inese Lībiņa-Egnere (New Unity). Strupišs expressed hope that in cooperation with the new Justice MInister, the judicial system will work better.
