Latvia: the Free Trade Union Confederation goes around key political forces to sign agreements before the upcoming election

Focus on taxes in the agreement with the nationalists.  In the memorandum of understanding signed between LBAS and VL-TB/LNNK (made up of the two nationalist parties, “Visu Latvijai” and “Tēvzemei un Brīvībai”/LNNK), it is provided that the tax burden should be shifted from labor to expensive and infrequently used properties, capital, and to consumption.  More practically, this means that employees’ non-taxable minimum as well as its addition per each dependent person are to be increased in medium term, the reduced VAT rates of 10% are to be kept for electricity, gas, heat and firewood supply, periodicals, medicine, public transportation, as well as hotel services, and the minimum wage is to be increased above the current LVL180 (around €257).  Small to medium wages in general are to be relieved of taxes to the extent possible, in case necessary, even via introducing a progressive income tax.  Further specified social policy targets include an increase in the current state social security support by one third; early retirement remaining possible until 2016; and state financing to the healthcare sector reaching 4.5% of GDP by 2015.
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periodicals, medicine, public transportation, as well as hotel services, and the minimum wage is to be increased above the current LVL180 (around €257). Small to medium wages in general are to be relieved of taxes to the extent possible, in case necessary, even via introducing a progressive income tax. Further specified social policy targets include an increase in the current state social security support by one third; early retirement remaining possible until 2016; and state financing to the

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