In the state budget strategy approved by the government, the reduced indexation of certain top officials' salaries — introduced in 2024 — was extended until the end of 2030.

Under current law, full indexation of all top state officials' salaries should resume on 1 April 2028.

"The government has now approved continuing the reduced indexation in the state budget strategy for 2028–2030. Over three years, this means €32.3 million in savings," said Ministry of Finance spokesperson Elo Ellermaa.

She explained that the indexation exception was introduced in 2023 as a temporary measure, intended to apply from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2028 for certain top officials. These include members of the government, judges, the prosecutor general, the secretary of state, the national conciliator, and the gender equality and equal treatment commissioner. Their salaries also determine the pay of other officials, such as chancellors and prosecutors.

As of 1 April 2026, the highest salary rate for top state officials is €10,240 (rounded), determined automatically by law.

The highest salaries are paid to the president, the speaker of parliament, and the chief justice of the Supreme Court.

Under the law on top state officials' salaries, the highest salary rate is 4.8 times the average Estonian wage, and this ratio has remained stable over the years.

Judges say the decision may violate the constitution

Judges argue that the government's earlier decision to slow salary growth may be unconstitutional.

"We constantly face the problem that too few good lawyers apply to become judges, and we have no real choice. We're lucky if we find even one suitable candidate, and sometimes competitions fail entirely because there are no candidates," said Ivo Pilving, chair of the Supreme Court's administrative chamber.

Pilving noted that judges leave the profession because of salary issues.

"Not everyone says directly that it's because of low pay; they usually point to high stress and workload, which is indeed a fact. These things are connected: if the salary doesn't compensate for the workload and stress, people find jobs with less pressure or places that pay more," Pilving said.

Judges have challenged the earlier decision to slow salary growth in court.

"The dispute over the initial cut, which dozens of judges contested, reached the Supreme Court just this week. The Supreme Court accepted two of those complaints, and more are on their way," Pilving said.

He emphasized that he personally cannot take a position on whether the complaints are justified.

"According to the constitution, the parliament, government, and courts should be — not 100 percent equal — but reasonably comparable. The longer this reduced indexation continues, the wider the gap becomes," he said.

Recently, rescue workers earning €1,600 gross have publicly raised concerns about their pay. A journalist asked whether judges, out of solidarity, might send a message that they are willing to accept somewhat lower pay during difficult times.

"This balance of powers concerns comparisons between the government, parliament, and courts. They are the constitutional institutions that should be on roughly the same level," Pilving replied.

He stressed that this comparison does not concern rescue workers, teachers, or nurses.

"I do not want to diminish any of those professions in the slightest. I — and I believe all judges — hold them in the highest respect. But judges have a special constitutional status that no other profession, including rescue workers or police officers, has," Pilving said.

He emphasized that the constitution requires judges' social guarantees to be set not by ordinary law but by a constitutional law, which requires at least 51 votes in parliament.

Pilving explained that judges have this special status to ensure there is no doubt about whether they dare intervene in government actions or conduct constitutional review of parliamentary laws when necessary.

"All of this harms the rule of law if judges' guarantees are now eroded," Pilving said.

Judges' salaries are also tied to the lifetime nature of the position.

"If we keep undermining judges' motivation and social pressure builds for them to leave the profession, then we can no longer speak of lifetime appointments," Pilving said.

According to him, this is a clear constitutional infringement.

"These serious discussions still lie ahead, and they are extremely uncomfortable, because it does not look good for the courts to have to assess judges' own salaries. Fortunately, none of the complainants are members of the Supreme Court," Pilving said.

Salaries of senior civil servants as of 01.04.2026

Source: Ministry of Finance

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