Impact of minimum wage hike to be felt by parents
Many state services or fees are tied to the minimum monthly salary, and will increase automatically and rapidly if political parties fill their promises of much higher minimum wage levels.
The minimum gross monthly salary increased by 35 euros to 390 on January 1, increasing kindergarten fees by 3 to 7 euros. In Tallinn, parents have to pay 10.6 percent of the minimum salary as monthly kindergarten fees, although that percentage varies in local governments, going up to 20 percent.
The Center Party has promised to increase the minimum wage to 1,000 euros, SDE to 800 in the next four years, near tripling kindergarten fees.
"We have this odd custom of tying many things to the minimum wage, either from convenience or other reasons," said Social Democrat MP Eiki Nestor.
Editor: M. Järvekülg, J.M. Laats