Wednesday, April 15, 2026

Headlines

latvia

Valainis yields to retail chains: penalties for unfair commercial practices will not be increased, local producers will not be defended

Although the beginning of this year was marked by the grand plans of Minister of Economics Viktors Valainis to “put in their place” the large food retail chains, by the end of summer the plan has faded – the minister has given in to pressure from retailers and no longer intends to increase penalties for unfair commercial practices. At the end of last year, when presenting the plan to limit food retail prices, one of the action points of the Ministry of Economics […]

Construction workers want a higher minimum wage – 1155 euros

The Latvian Construction Sector Trade Union wants to increase the minimum wage in the sector by 10% – to 1,155.64 euros per month. The minimum wage set by law in the country is 740 euros per month. The trade union reminds that currently the minimum wage in the construction sector is determined by a general agreement that has been in force since 2019. At present, the general agreement stipulates a monthly minimum wage of 1,050 euros and an hourly rate of 6.29 […]

Accenture and Linde Gas – the fairest payers of remuneration in Latvia

The fairest remuneration in the small and medium-sized enterprise category is paid by Linde Gas, while in the large enterprise category it is paid by Accenture’s Latvian branch, according to the remuneration research and management consulting company Figure Baltic Advisory. The authors of the study point out that this year there has again been fierce competition, confirming that employers are paying increasing attention to fair remuneration. Several organizations rank among the payers of the fairest remuneration […]

While monitoring the heat energy procurement in Riga, the Competition Council deleted from the final report statements displeasing to Rīgas Siltums and Latvenergo

After monitoring the heat energy procurement market on the right bank of the Daugava in Riga for almost a year, the Competition Council (KP), as an independent authority, drafted a final report, which on 15 March 2024 was electronically signed by KP Council member Kārlis Piģēns and sent to all market participants and the institutions involved. However, the final report was published on the KP website only three months later, and many paragraphs were removed from it, […]

The infamously notorious “Siltumserviss Rīga” operators are also involved in the engineering communications builders’ cartel

In the engineering communications companies’ cartel, two groups of companies can be distinguished – those based in Riga and those based in Rēzekne – which mutually coordinated their activities in 33 procurement procedures, most of which were procurement tenders by various municipal property management authorities. In Riga, these companies are SIA Adapteris, SIA Alpex and SIA Infrakom, while in Rēzekne – SIA Siltumtehserviss and SIA Apkure IM, said the acting chair of the Competition Council at a press conference […]

New construction cartel uncovered: Illegal agreement links five companies

The Competition Council has adopted a decision establishing a cartel among five construction companies. In fines, the companies together will have to pay more than half a million euros. The Competition Council promises to reveal the names of the companies tomorrow – on 11 September – but for now it discloses that the illegal agreement has affected more than 30 procurements throughout the territory of Latvia. The Competition Council identified the first construction cartel in 2021. At that time […]

5.4 million euros will be invested in expanding the Spilva production plant

The food production company Orkla Latvia will invest 5.4 million euros in the sauces and ready-made meals brand Spilva production plant in Spilve, Babīte. The extensive investment plan envisages expanding the production building and modernizing the main production lines in order to ensure a rational production flow and automation possibilities, as well as to increase production speed and reduce staff workload. “Spilva’s most popular product types – mayonnaises and sauces […]

Altum could start issuing regional “Vainis’ loans” as early as this year: immigrants will also be eligible to apply

“Active preparatory work is currently underway, but it is planned that the new application program will be opened at the end of October or the beginning of November,” Altum head Reinis Bērziņš told Inc. Until then, the program regulations still have to be approved by the Cabinet of Ministers. Loans will be available to natural persons who are at least 18 years old and to those who, at the time of the final loan repayment, will not have exceeded the age of 65. […]

On the issue of gender balance, entrepreneurs can breathe a sigh of relief: It could cost the state hundreds of thousands

Ensuring gender equality in the management of two Latvian companies will still not become a mandatory requirement. A majority in the Saeima has, for the second time, rejected the draft law prepared by the Ministry of Welfare on ensuring gender balance in the management bodies of capital companies. For the companies, this of course allows them to breathe a sigh of relief, but for Latvia it may cost a few hundred thousand euros. According to the criteria included in the draft law, at present it would apply only to two […]

In several ministries, saving is not mandatory: the reduction of expenses is a fiction

Contrary to the plan this spring to cut ministry expenses by a mere 150 million per year, it turns out that even this is not mandatory for all ministries. For example, in the ministries headed by the “Progressives”, there will be almost no savings at all. The exact reason for such leniency is not known, but an Inc. source at the Ministry of Finance admits – this was the coalition’s agreement. However, it should begin with a reminder – Inc. […]