Galery

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Although Greece is on a war footing, as senior government functionaries state every day, the privileges of deputies are endless despite having been somewhat cut.

The occupation or position of parliamentarian is still profitable and attractive, especially if one thinks about the scale of the tax attack suffered by Greeks with medium and low incomes.

The deputies’ basic payment alone comprises a monthly salary of € 5,800 to € 6,100, additional payment of € 150 per person for participation in each session of parliamentary committees, full pension after two parliamentary terms in addition to the pension they receive from exercising their professions, a monthly rental allowance to the amount of € 1,000 for deputies from the country and an annual allowance of € 1,500 for the requirements of the office.

More privileges include: 65 free air tickets for deputies from the country, cell phone with prepaid calls to a value of € 180, free public transport as well as a research associate, four civil servants and a policeman.

The total value is far from low despite the 40% decrease in their salaries. According to the official budget for the expenditure of the Greek Parliament, the 2011 deputy fees for taking part in summer sessions and committees reach € 5 million, the total amounts for their offices is € 8,086,300, while their transport costs amount to € 1,715,600. The amounts budgeted for 2010 are € 5.5, € 9,286,300 and € 1,987,800, which show the extent of their cut.

Overtime costs for state employees working in deputies’ offices in 2011 are € 5,526,800 compared with € 6,000,000 in 2010. This year, Greek taxpayers will pay € 1.67 million for the deputies’ transport costs, which last year were € 1.85 million. € 500,000, i.e. € 100,000 more than in 2010, are provided for their travelling abroad.

The costs of deputies’ mobile phones are € 658,000 against € 680,000 last year, and the total costs of the telecommunication services they use are € 8,715,000 - about € 100,000 less than last year.

After the cut in salaries from last year until today, the deputies are losing € 40,500 per year. So, their net income, which does not include non-payment of telephone and postal services, the provision of electronic equipment, rents for offices for deputies from the country, use of a car, researcher, etc. is between € 70,000 and 80,000 per year.

In particular, deputies’ "bonuses" paid from the state budget are:

§ € 8 million for office establishment and organization

§ € 8.7 million for telecommunication services