At an extraordinary meeting on Monday, the government supported the proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) for gradual changes in the pension system for diplomats, which will involve an increase in the retirement age and service length, a reduction in pension amounts, and the removal of these rights for young diplomats starting January 1, 2027.
According to the plan approved by the government, for diplomats whose service length will be less than 15 years as of January 1, 2027, the minimum retirement age and service length will gradually increase by five years — by six months each year.
For those with less than ten years of service, the pension will be calculated based on a 120-month salary period ending two months before their departure from service. In this case, the minimum pension amount will be reduced by 20 percentage points, and the maximum by 10 percentage points. An additional reduction of five percentage points will apply to both amounts if the diplomat is dismissed from service.
The reform will not affect diplomats who will gain the right to a pension for length of service before January 1, 2027, as well as those whose service length exceeds 15 years. For this group, the existing rules will remain in place, except that the last two months before departure from service will no longer be taken into account when calculating the pension.
At the same time, new diplomats who receive diplomatic rank for the first time after January 1, 2027, will no longer be entitled to a pension for length of service.
Additionally, the procedure for terminating pension payments will be clarified if the recipient resumes work in a profession that grants the right to a pension for length of service. Dismissal from service due to health reasons, regardless of age, is planned to be linked to a decision by a council of specialists in occupational diseases from the Pauls Stradiņš Clinical University Hospital's Center for Occupational and Radiation Medicine.
The Ministry of Health indicates that the changes are necessary for the sustainability and fairness of the budget. From 2011 to 2024, the number of recipients of pensions for length of service increased by 69.2%, reaching 12,176 people, while state expenditures nearly tripled — to €115.9 million per year. It is projected that by 2030, these expenses will exceed €200 million.
Leave a comment