Request regarding the salaries of cultural workers (no 781)
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 6th sitting, plenary sitting
Date: 2025-09-15 20:25
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 31
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 20m
AI Summaries: 31/31 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The Riigikogu debated Interpellation No. 781 concerning the salaries of cultural workers, submitted on May 19, 2025, by Riigikogu members Vadim Belobrovtsev, Lauri Laats, Andrei Korobeinik, Vladimir Arhipov, Peeter Ernits, and Aleksandr Tšaplõgin. The submitter of the inquiry, Vadim Belobrovtsev, emphasized that the salaries of cultural workers have lagged behind the times, as the minimum gross salary for a cultural worker with higher education has remained at 1,600 euros since 2023, while inflation has exceeded 40%. Belobrovtsev criticized the Reform Party-led governments for their hostility towards public sector employees and demanded an answer from the minister as to whether a salary increase is expected in 2026 and whether the TALO proposal to raise the minimum salary to 2,036 euros is realistic.
Minister of Culture Heidy Purga agreed that the salaries of cultural workers must rise and confirmed that she would advocate for increasing both the minimum salary and the overall payroll budget during state budget negotiations. She pointed out that thanks to the reform converting cultural institutions (theatres, museums) into foundations, the volume of institutions' self-generated income has grown, and the average gross salary for cultural workers with higher education has already exceeded the 2,000 euro threshold. The minister promised more precise information regarding the size of the salary increase within a week, once the government concludes the budget talks. In the subsequent discussion, the issue of the low salaries of cultural workers in local governments was also raised—a problem into which the state cannot directly intervene, but which the minister promised to emphasize when communicating with the Association of Estonian Cities and Municipalities. Belobrovtsev concluded the debate by demanding that the salary increase should be at least 20% to be noticeable in the current inflationary environment.
Decisions Made 1
Decisions were not made
Most Active Speaker
Vadim Belobrovtsev (PID: 2BHGSELLyV4), who submitted the interpellation, asked supplementary questions, and delivered the closing statement, criticized the government's inaction and demanded a wage increase of at least 20%. He represents the opposition (other).
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Toomas Kivimägi introduced the fourth item on the agenda, which was Interpellation No. 781, submitted by a group of Riigikogu members on May 19, 2025, concerning the salaries of cultural workers, and invited Vadim Belobrovtsev to the podium to present the report on behalf of the interpellators.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
This concerns the fourth interpellation regarding the salaries of cultural workers, submitted by members of the Riigikogu on May 19, 2025 (Interpellation No. 781), which will be presented by Vadim Belobrovtsev on behalf of the interpellators.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Vadim Belobrovtsev is raising the pressing issue of cultural workers' salaries, accusing the government of hostility towards civil servants. He points out that the minimum gross salary of 1,600 euros for a cultural worker with higher education has become completely outdated, having been frozen for several years while inflation has soared past 40%. Consequently, a clear answer is being demanded from the minister as to whether these salary conditions are actually in line with the cost of living and if a pay raise in 2026 is even realistic.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Belobrovtsev notes that the salaries of cultural workers have lagged behind inflation, and minimum rates have been raised only a few times in recent years. He then asks the minister about aligning these wages with the standard of living, the planned increase in the minimum rate for 2026, and what message he has for cultural workers. He adds that TALO has recommended raising the minimum rate next year from 1,600 euros to 2,036 euros and is prepared for state budget negotiations.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi thanks the audience and invites the honorable Minister of Culture, Heidy Purga, to the Riigikogu rostrum to answer your questions.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Toomas Kivimägi thanked the attendees and subsequently gave the floor to Minister of Culture Heidy Purga, who stepped up to the Riigikogu rostrum to answer the questions that had been posed.
Kultuuriminister Heidy Purga
AI Summary
Minister of Culture Heidy Purga stated that the salaries of cultural workers are a priority in state budget negotiations, and reforms affecting cultural foundations have increased salary funds, allowing for the raising of both the minimum and average wages. More detailed information on this will be available next week.
Kultuuriminister Heidy Purga
AI Summary
Minister of Culture Heidy Purga confirms that despite the historically challenging state budget situation and rising defense expenditures, raising the salaries of cultural workers is a priority for her, as she advocates in negotiations for growth in both the minimum wage and the overall wage fund, and promises that the government will disclose the specific salary increase proposals and details stemming from the coalition agreement within the week.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The address thanks the participants, invites them to submit questions, and informs them that Vladimir Arhipov will start the questioning.
Vladimir Arhipov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Vladimir Arhipov emphasizes the systemic and long-term underfunding of the cultural sector and asks the minister whether there are plans to establish a long-term national strategy that would ensure cultural workers' salaries grow at the same pace as the minimum wage and the pay increases for other public sector occupational groups, thereby preventing them from continually falling behind.
Vladimir Arhipov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
The presentation centers on systemic and long-term underfunding and the need for a national, long-term salary growth strategy for cultural workers. This strategy would ensure that salaries increase at least at the same pace as the minimum wage and other public sector occupational groups, preventing cultural sector employees from continuously falling behind.
Kultuuriminister Heidy Purga
AI Summary
Minister of Culture Heidy Purga highlighted that the average gross salary of cultural workers with higher education employed under the Ministry of Culture’s administrative area has shown a positive increase between 2020 and 2024, reaching 2,065 euros. She emphasized that because this sector creates value for the economy, the continuation of salary increases and basing decisions on the importance of the field are essential, even though the Estonian average salary has slightly lagged behind this figure.
Kultuuriminister Heidy Purga
AI Summary
The average gross monthly salary for cultural workers with higher education in the administrative domain of the Ministry of Culture rose from 1,661 euros in 2020 to 2,065 euros by 2024. However, the Estonian national average is still slightly lagging behind this figure, and the salary increase must be continued because cultural work creates value and this sector is important for the economy.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
I would like to pose two interrelated questions: Is a salary increase for cultural workers possible given the constraints of the state budget, and how substantial could that increase be, because 10–15% is simply not enough.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Vadim Belobrovtsev points out that although there is supposedly money in the state budget, many sectors (police, rescuers, teachers) have not seen a salary increase since the start of 2024. He therefore questions whether it will be possible to secure a pay rise for cultural workers under these circumstances, stressing that given inflation and current expectations, 10–15 percent is likely no longer sufficient.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Toomas Kivimägi invited Vadim Belobrovtsev to speak.
Kultuuriminister Heidy Purga
AI Summary
Minister of Culture Heidy Purga emphasized that while numerous requests were submitted to the government during budget negotiations to increase various budget lines, not all applicants will receive the expected funding due to the country's strained financial situation. Nevertheless, the draft budget remains within the limits agreed upon in the coalition agreement, and she expressed hope that the proposal concerning salary issues, which is set to be submitted to the Riigikogu, will still bring benefits to the relevant sector.
Kultuuriminister Heidy Purga
AI Summary
Given the current national budgetary situation, we cannot fund every request. However, we are operating within the boundaries set by the coalition agreement, and we hope that the draft wage bill submitted to the Riigikogu will benefit the cultural sector.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Toomas Kivimägi invites Anti Allas to take the floor.
Anti Allas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Anti Allas expressed concern over the extremely low wage level of cultural workers employed by local governments. He requested the minister provide an overview of the wage distribution and asked for concrete plans and the extension of a helping hand to local governments to solve this problem.
Anti Allas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Anti Allas asked the minister what the average salary of cultural workers in local municipalities is and its distribution across Estonia, how low these salaries might fall compared to the national minimum wage, what steps are planned to be taken to address this concern, and whether assistance will be provided to the local governments.
Kultuuriminister Heidy Purga
AI Summary
Minister of Culture Heidy Purga stressed that although the state respects the autonomy of local authorities and cannot interfere in their budget decisions, she has consistently encouraged local governments, via the Association of Estonian Cities and Municipalities, not to forget cultural workers and to value them. This encouragement comes despite the significant differences among local governments both in financial capability and in their established priorities, which complicates the issue of cultural workers' salaries and causes concern among local authorities.
Kultuuriminister Heidy Purga
AI Summary
The state cannot interfere with the autonomy of local governments, but cultural funding must not be relegated to the bottom of the priority list, and the salaries of municipal cultural workers and cultural priorities must be carefully protected.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Toomas Kivimägi calls upon Peeter Ernits to speak.
Peeter Ernits
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Peeter Ernits highlights Estonia's generous financial support to Ukraine and various development aid projects, and then proceeds to question which is more critical for the survival of the state: raising the salaries of cultural workers or continuing to hand out money with such a liberal hand across the globe.
Peeter Ernits
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Peeter Ernits asks which is more important for the Estonian state and its survival: raising the salaries of cultural workers or providing international aid.
Kultuuriminister Heidy Purga
AI Summary
Minister of Culture Heidy Purga stresses that pitting cultural workers against Ukraine is irresponsible, noting that Ukrainians are currently fighting for the good of our country, and that all individuals working in the cultural sector must be valued.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi gives thanks, concludes the questions, opens the discussions, and invites Vadim Belobrovtsev.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Vadim Belobrovtsev thanked the minister and stressed that the minimum salary for cultural workers, currently 1600 euros per month, must be significantly raised in light of inflation—by about 20% (approximately 320 euros per month)—and that specific proposals are expected during the budget negotiations.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Vadim Belobrovtsev praises the Minister of Culture for his rational approach and his fight for cultural workers' wages, but he stresses that the current minimum salary of 1,600 euros is insufficient given the 40% inflation and the long-term economic recession. Consequently, the pay raise secured during budget negotiations must be very specific and noticeable, reaching at least 20%, in order to show due respect for the work done in the cultural sector.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Toomas Kivimägi declared the discussions closed and concluded the proceedings on this agenda item.