Request for Information Regarding PPA Employee Salaries (No. 780)
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 6th sitting, plenary session
Date: 2025-09-22 23:28
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 50
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 45m
AI Summaries: 50/50 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The Riigikogu (Estonian Parliament) addressed interpellation No. 780 concerning the salaries of the employees of the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA), submitted on May 15, 2025, by Riigikogu members Vadim Belobrovtsev, Vladimir Arhipov, Lauri Laats, and Aleksei Jevgrafov. The submitter of the interpellation, Vadim Belobrovtsev (Centre Party), emphasized the urgency of the topic, citing the extremely rapid inflation over the last two years, which has raised prices by an average of 40%, while PPA employees' salaries were last increased at the beginning of 2023. Belobrovtsev asked whether the current salary conditions are adequate and whether the government is capable of meeting the PPA's expectation to raise salaries to 1.2 times the average Estonian wage.
Minister of the Interior Igor Taro responded that, in his assessment, the current salary conditions are not adequate. He confirmed that the salaries of police officers, rescuers, and rescue dispatchers will increase next year. The government has allocated an additional 28.9 million euros to the salary fund of the Ministry of the Interior's administrative area, which constitutes approximately 10% of the total salary fund. The Minister emphasized that the focus of the salary increase is on frontline workers whose incomes are the lowest. In addition to the 10% increase in the salary fund, the Minister highlighted the government's decision to abolish the tax hump, which, according to him, provides the most noticeable percentage gain precisely for people at the salary level of rescuers and police officers, likely bringing their income growth close to 15%. The opposition (Belobrovtsev, Arhipov, Kaljulaid, Allas) criticized the modesty of the 10% increase, especially when compared to previous raises and the government's tax policy decisions, which, in their assessment, favor the wealthier deciles of the population. Minister Taro defended the government's decisions, emphasizing that this was a difficult effort where salary increases were granted only to the administrative areas of three ministries.
Decisions Made 1
Decisions were not made
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
We now proceed to the ninth item on the agenda. The topic of this item is Interpellation No. 780, submitted on May 15, 2025, by Riigikogu members Vadim Belobrovtsev, Vladimir Arhipov, Lauri Laats, and Aleksei Jevgrafov concerning the salaries of Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) employees. The rapporteur for this item is Vadim Belobrovtsev.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller introduced the ninth item on the agenda, which was Interpellation No. 780, submitted by members of the Riigikogu, concerning the salaries of the employees of the Police and Border Guard Board, and invited Vadim Belobrovtsev to serve as the rapporteur.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Vadim Belobrovtsev raises the issue of adequate compensation for the employees of the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) and rescuers, emphasizing that despite extremely rapid inflation, their salaries have remained unchanged since the beginning of 2023. He demands a clear answer from the minister regarding whether and to what extent the government is prepared to implement a salary increase so that wages meet the PPA's targets (1.2 times the Estonian average salary) and the current economic situation.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Belobrovtsev asks the minister to state whether and how large a salary increase the employees of the Police and Border Guard Board and rescuers will receive, considering recent inflation, the current budget situation, and the latest negotiation figures.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Arvo Aller asks the Minister of the Interior, Igor Taro, to respond to the inquiry.
Siseminister Igor Taro
AI Summary
Interior Minister Igor Taro emphasized that salary increases for police officers, rescuers, and rescue dispatchers are the government's primary priority, citing that their current pay conditions are not adequate. He confirmed that an additional 28.9 million euros (about 10%) will be allocated to the internal security sector's wage fund in next year's budget, focusing specifically on low-wage frontline workers. He added that although this 10% does not meet trade union expectations, the abolition of the tax hump will significantly raise the target group's income, pushing the actual impact of the salary increase close to 15%, despite the difficult budgetary situation and the necessity of making internal cuts within the sector.
Siseminister Igor Taro
AI Summary
Next year, the salaries for police officers, rescuers, and rescue dispatchers will increase, as the government is allocating an additional approximately 28.9 million euros for their wages (roughly 10% of the salary fund). Furthermore, a reduction in the tax burden will boost their net incomes. However, the exact amount will be finalized in collaboration with the heads of the institutions, and the overall budget requires continued cuts elsewhere.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller called for questions and addressed Vadim Belobrovtsev with a request.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Vadim Belobrovtsev is concerned about the vagueness of the "up to 10%" salary increase promised during budget negotiations for police officers, border guards, and rescuers, citing the example of cultural workers, where the actual increase only reached 7.5%, and asks whether the pay rise in these fields will also be significantly smaller than the promised maximum.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
He/She is asking whether the pay rise for police officers, border guards, and rescue personnel will also reach up to 10%, or if the actual increase will be closer to 7.5%, as was the case for cultural workers.
Siseminister Igor Taro
AI Summary
Minister of the Interior Igor Taro confirmed a 10% (28.9 million) increase in the internal security sector's wage fund, stressing that the increase will be distributed disproportionately, with the majority—hopefully over 10%—being directed specifically toward frontline workers at lower pay grades, where salary pressure is highest.
Siseminister Igor Taro
AI Summary
Interior Minister Igor Taro announced that the wage fund for internal security employees will increase by 10% (28.9 million euros), and the distribution will not be equal, but the larger part will be directed to personnel on the first frontline and employees with lower salary grades, since most work on the frontline and there are few office workers, and additionally, their income will increase slightly more due to supplementary tax decisions.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
This is a quick call for Vladimir Arhipov to come forward.
Vladimir Arhipov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Vladimir Arhipov expressed satisfaction with the salary increase, noting ironically that elections should perhaps be held more frequently. However, he drew attention to the fact that the actual concern for police officers and rescuers is the dangerously high workload resulting from the closure of precincts, citing the disappearance of the Maardu precinct as an example. He concluded by asking whether their remuneration would be linked to the Estonian average.
Vladimir Arhipov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Vladimir Arhipov thanked the director and the minister for the salary increase before the elections. He highlighted the increased workload faced by police officers and rescuers, as well as the concerns associated with layoffs, and using the city of Maardu as an example, he asked whether their salaries would begin to be tied to the Estonian average.
Siseminister Igor Taro
AI Summary
Interior Minister Igor Taro stresses that the recent pay rise is a joint, nationwide effort tied to national defense, which is neither connected to elections nor the merit of a single individual. Instead, it demands input from the entire public sector and society. He points out that earlier optimizations have maintained the internal security salary level above that of Latvia, and he cautions against rigidly tying salaries to the average wage, arguing that this would create a mathematically unrealistic and constantly escalating cost spiral for state finances.
Siseminister Igor Taro
AI Summary
Interior Minister Igor Taro emphasizes that the wage increase is a nationwide and national defense issue, and the entire public sector must contribute to ensure it is fair and realistically compatible with the state budget, without being linked to elections or too closely tied to the average.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller invites Raimond Kaljulaid to speak.
Raimond Kaljulaid
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Raimond Kaljulaid asks whether the government's priorities are misplaced, and if the money should really be used for tax breaks aimed at the wealthy instead of raising the salaries of firefighters and police officers.
Raimond Kaljulaid
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Raimond Kaljulaid is criticizing the Minister of the Interior and the government for having their priorities completely wrong, pointing out a clear contradiction: While the government claims that money is plentiful and is cutting taxes—measures that provide significant benefits to the wealthier population—the planned salary increase for rescuers and police officers amounts to only a 10% growth in the wage fund. This is compared to the previous 30% increase that was implemented at a time when the state's financial situation was actually much worse.
Siseminister Igor Taro
AI Summary
Interior Minister Igor Taro emphasized that the government's tax cuts are not aimed solely at the super-rich. Instead, their most noticeable positive impact will be felt precisely in the salaries of rescuers, police officers, and teachers, while also offering 100–150 euros of relief to many other people earning 1,500–2,000 euros, whom it is important to support.
Siseminister Igor Taro
AI Summary
Interior Minister Igor Taro stated that the tax cuts are not intended solely for the wealthy but are primarily aimed at middle-income earners. The biggest beneficiaries will be rescuers, police officers, and teachers, who will see a tax relief of approximately 100 to 150 euros. He added that this will also help others whose salaries fall within the 1,500 to 2,000 euro range.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller addresses Anti Allas and makes a request.
Anti Allas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Anti Allas questioned the minister regarding the satisfactory wage level for frontline workers (police officers, rescuers) relative to the promised pay increase. He also expressed outrage that the government is spending 114 million euros to restore the tax-free minimum for people earning over €4,000, asking why this money wasn't instead channeled into a more significant salary increase for frontline staff.
Anti Allas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Anti Allas poses a two-part question: what would constitute a satisfactory wage level for police officers and rescuers, and how far short of that level the expected wage increase for next year falls. Furthermore, has the government considered abandoning the payment of the €4,000 tax-free sum—a measure that recovers €114 million upon the restoration of the tax-free minimum—and directing those funds instead toward raising the salaries of frontline workers.
Siseminister Igor Taro
AI Summary
Interior Minister Igor Taro stated that the salary increase, intended to ensure fair compensation for rescuers and those in other dangerous professions, will be achieved partly by increasing the relevant fund by 10% and partly through tax relief. He added that while the decision may not affect everyone equally, everyone will ultimately benefit, and percentage-wise, the biggest winners will be those whose monthly income falls roughly within the pay bracket of rescuers, police officers, and teachers.
Siseminister Igor Taro
AI Summary
Interior Minister Igor Taro explains that he understands the expectation of rescuers for fair compensation for dangerous work. He affirms that the government did its utmost during budget negotiations, offering a pay rise through both the increase of a special fund and tax relief measures. He defends the decision to eliminate the progressive income tax structure, stressing that while higher earners may also gain in absolute terms, the specific target group—those earning at the salary level of rescuers, police officers, and teachers—will receive the largest percentage increase in their monthly income.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller concluded the round of questions, formally opened the debate, and subsequently gave the floor to Raimond Kaljulaid, noting that there were no speakers among the interpellators.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller offers his thanks, concludes the questions, opens the debate, and announces that none of the interpellators are present; Raimond Kaljulaid, you have the floor.
Raimond Kaljulaid
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Raimond Kaljulaid claims that the proposed tax policy and tax benefits will primarily benefit those with higher salaries, while frontline workers, such as rescuers, will see significantly less improvement in their pay and standard of living. He states that this is the biggest difference between the social democrats and the right-wing parties.
Raimond Kaljulaid
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Raimond Kaljulaid disputes the claims made by the Minister of the Interior, stressing that the wages of frontline workers (such as rescuers) are low. He argues that the government’s proposed tax policy (a VAT increase and universal income tax exemption) will worsen their financial situation, disproportionately favoring the wealthy and top specialists, leaving those who perform difficult, essential work without benefit, while managers and high-level professionals stand to gain.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller thanks the previous speaker and asks to grant the floor to Vadim Belobrovtsev.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Belobrovtsev stressed that although the minister promised a pay rise for employees of the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) and the Rescue Board, this increase must not be limited to just 10%. This is because the last significant pay hike was three years ago, and salaries should be rising gradually every year for those working on the front lines, such as police officers, border guards, rescuers, teachers, and cultural workers. He added that he will monitor further developments alongside the opposition.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Vadim Belobrovtsev welcomes the minister's promise to raise the salaries of frontline workers at the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) and the Rescue Board. However, he expresses deep doubt as to whether the promised increase of up to 10% is sufficient after such a long pause, and whether the funds will actually reach those who need them most, rather than the management. He simultaneously promises that the opposition will continuously monitor the situation to ensure annual salary increases and prevent the kind of disappointment experienced by cultural workers.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Chairman thanks [the previous speaker] and announces that colleague Peeter Ernits will speak next.
Peeter Ernits
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Peeter Ernits argues that while the government’s decision to raise salaries is positive in itself, it is actually driven by the catastrophic situation in the country, the extremely low public trust in those in power, and the fear of an explosive general strike. Consequently, the coalition had no choice but to find the money to prevent a social explosion. He emphasizes that this step was taken under duress, not out of goodwill, and urges monitoring to ensure that the pay raise actually reaches frontline workers (rescuers, police officers, teachers) and doesn't vanish into warm offices, as has happened before, especially given the approaching elections.
Peeter Ernits
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Peeter Ernits described the situation as catastrophic, noting that public trust in the government is low. He stated that the coalition is now forced to find money for rescuers and others and must ensure that the funds reach their intended recipients, not the cabinet, alluding to the elections.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar asked his colleague to be more reserved when using epithets and comparisons, stating that the figurative language was offensive to him and his loved ones and was unworthy of the Riigikogu.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar addressed Peeter Ernits with a sincere plea to refrain in the future from using epithets and figurative comparisons that are personally insulting and unworthy of the Riigikogu, stressing that such language is inappropriate for parliamentary use.
Raimond Kaljulaid
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Raimond Kaljulaid highlighted the exemplary conduct of Interior Minister Igor Taro, who, unlike other ministers, remained until the end of the Riigikogu session, and asked the Speaker of the Riigikogu to investigate whether the House Rules and Procedure Act permits the minister to be officially recognized for this exemplary behavior.
Raimond Kaljulaid
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Raimond Kaljulaid asked whether it is possible for the Speaker of the Riigikogu to commend Minister of the Interior Igor Taro for participating fully in the debates and also for listening to the speeches during the negotiations, and what the Riigikogu Rules of Procedure and Internal Rules Act says about this.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar thanks the colleague and commends the Minister of the Interior for the proposal to participate in the negotiations, noting that the Minister of the Interior takes his work very seriously, and invites Peeter Ernits to ask a question regarding the procedure for conducting the sitting.
Peeter Ernits
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Peeter Ernits thanks the chairman and jokingly notes that if the Minister of the Interior had managed to push through that thought crimes bill, he might well be guilty right now, and concludes with a wish for health and strength.
Peeter Ernits
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Peeter Ernits expressed appreciation for the presence of the Minister of the Interior, but criticized the Speaker for having weak nerves, subsequently using ironic figurative language to express relief over the failure of the thought crimes bill, immediately apologizing for his choice of words.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar called Peeter Ernits' comparison to a cemetery inappropriate, announced that negotiations are ongoing and that there is currently no opportunity for a response, and invited Interior Minister Igor Taro to take the floor from the Riigikogu rostrum.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar reprimanded Peeter Ernits for using an inappropriate cemetery analogy, explaining that there was no opportunity for a counter-reply since Ernits had not spoken from the podium, and subsequently yielded the floor to Interior Minister Igor Taro.
Siseminister Igor Taro
AI Summary
Interior Minister Igor Taro emphasized that the 10% salary increase achieved as a result of difficult negotiations in the internal security sector is an important and invaluable achievement, as it significantly exceeds the long-term average (6.6%) and demonstrates the government's clear priority for internal security and national defense at a time when most ministries had to settle for cuts or zero increases, thereby valuing the people who perform risky work daily.
Siseminister Igor Taro
AI Summary
In his presentation, Interior Minister Igor Taro stated that the 10% salary increase achieved after difficult negotiations is a significant accomplishment, one that underscores the importance of national defense and internal security and is notable when compared to the long-term trend, even though most ministries had to accept zero increases or budget cuts. Furthermore, the increase in the national defense budget and the tax reduction benefiting the middle class amplify the value of this effort. He also wished a speedy recovery to the team of the Lasnamäe rescue squad.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar, having thanked a colleague and noted the absence of Peeter Ernits, announced that, since there were no further requests to speak, he would close the debate and the consideration of this agenda item.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar concluded the consideration of the agenda item and the debate, noting that there were no requests to speak and that Peeter Ernits did not participate.