The Ministry of Finance on Friday published state and local government public servants' 2022 income and 2023 salaries as of April 1. Pay of public servants is published by May 1 of each year to ensure transparency of salaries.

The average monthly salary of public servants, including performance pay, came to €2,175 or 10.6 percent more on year in 2022. Police, prison service and rescue officials as well as active EDF servicemen and women saw the fastest pay rise at 14.7 percent for an average salary of €2,180.

Bonuses included, State Information System's Authority (RIA) Director Margus Noormaa made the most money last year (€94,221). Next came Tax and Customs Board head Raigo Uukkivi (€89,700) and PM Kaja Kallas (€86,178).

As of the start of April, the public servant with the highest basic salary is Tallinn Circuit Court Chairman Villem Lapimaa who makes €8,422 a month. PM Kallas' salary is €8,318 and that of Viru County Court head Liina Naaber-Kivisoo (€8,110).

Minister of Finance Mart Võrklaev (Reform) said that the total income of officials grew in line with the national average salary last year. He said that public service salaries cannot be the highest on the labor market as it would manufacture salary pressure and harm the economy. At the same time, the private sector is often successful in pulling talent away from its public counterpart by offering better pay.

"The salaries of top specialists and executives are on average 18 percent behind [in the public sector]," Võrklaev said.

The total salary of local government officials grew by 10.5 percent to €1,996, while that of state public servants grew by 9.9 percent to €2,252.

Among local government officials, Tallinn City Chancellor Kairi Vaher made €87,985 last year, followed by City Secretary Priit Lello (€87,830) and Mayor Mihhail Kõlvart (€85,079).

The Ministry of Finance forecasts public sector salary growth to slow in the coming years.

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