Civil servant salaries increased more than average in 2020
The average monthly salary of a civil servant in Estonia rose by 3.8 percent last year to €1,948 while the average salary rose by 2.9 percent. Secretary of State Taimar Peterkop had the highest salary at over €80,000.
Secretary of State Taimar Peterkop had the highest total salary of €82,678 in 2020, statistics published by the Ministry of Finance show.
This was followed by Egon Veermäe, director general of the Social Insurance Board, who was paid €81,830, Villem Lapimaa, chairman of the Tallinn Circuit Court, with €79,441 euros, and Jüri Ratas, who was Prime Minister, with a salary of €78,460.
Kaido Padar, director general of the Transport Board, had the highest basic salary is €7,500 per month, followed by Ulla Ilisson, director general of Education and Youth Board (HARNO) and Madis Jääger, director general of the Academy of Sciences, who are both paid €6,900 per month.
As of the start of April, Prime Minister Kaja Kallas earns €6,768 a month, which makes her the fifth highest-paid civil servant.
Local government
Last year, a total of 19,756 officials worked in state and local government agencies, and of those 3,011 officials worked in local government.
While the average monthly salary of officials was €1,918, increasing by 3.8 percent year-on-year. The average salary of a local government worker was €1,752, which was a 3.5 percent increase year-on-year.
In the last five years, local government officials' salaries have increased by 5 percent.
The highest-paid local official was Tartu City Secretary Jüri Mölder who earned €80,669. Tallinn's CFO Katrin Kendra was second highest with a salary of €78,000. Tallinn City Secretary Priit Lello earned €77,700, Mayor of Tallinn Mihhail Kõlvart was paid €74,000.
This year, at the beginning of April, Mayor of Tallinn Mihhail Kõlvart (Center) is paid the highest basic salary of €6,100 a month. Deputy mayors are paid €5,200 a month and heads of departments earn €4,550.
In other regions, Mayor of Tartu Urmas Klaas (Reform) is paid €4,500 a month, Mayor of Kohtla-Järve Lyudmila Yantenko earns €4,320, Mayor of Narva Katri Raik (SDE) is paid €4,000, Mayor of Rakvere Triin Varek earns €3,900 and the Mayor of Keila Enno Fels earns €3,550.
Of the rural municipality mayors, Viimsi municipality mayor Illar Lemetti earns the highest salary which is €4,738 euros, followed by Andres Laisk, the mayor of Saue, in €4,200 euros, and Marti Rehemaa, mayor of Saku, is paid €4,000.
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Editor: Helen Wright