The Democratic Front (DF) will demand its abolition variables that were assigned to the MPs of the ruling coalition along with their December salaries in the amount of 80 percent of the average salary in Montenegro.
With that decision, by the Collegium of the President of the Assembly, each deputy from the DPS, SD, Bosniak Party, HGI and Liberal Party received close to 390 euros for, as stated, a significant contribution to the work of the Parliament.
In DF, they believe that it is illegal and also unfair to distribute bonuses at a time when the Government is conducting a restrictive financial policy.
For the Democrats, whose deputies gave up numerous privileges, this move is another example of DPS greed.
Members of the government who received the variables did not want to comment on this decision or were unavailable.
The December salary of the members of the ruling coalition, 42 of them, was 80 percent higher than the average salary in Montenegro, 387 euros to be exact.
Deputies increased their salary due to, as stated in the explanation of the decision of the Collegium of the President of the Assembly signed by the Secretary General, significant contribution in the activities of working bodies and at the sessions of the Assembly and additional engagement. Thus, an additional 16 thousand 254 euros was allocated from the taxpayers' money to the deputies.
President of the Assembly Ivan Brajaović thus received 2.287 euros in December. Among the MPs, Marija Ćatović had the highest salary in December, whose salary including variable amounts to 2.386 euros, followed by Miodrag Vuković with 2.172 euros.
The Vice-President of the Parliament Branimir Gvozdenović also received a salary in the amount of 2.115 euros due to his significant contribution to the work of the Parliament, and the President of the Administrative Board Luiđ Škrelja was also rewarded.
Marija Ćatović 2.386 euros
Ivan Brajović 2.287 euros
Miodrag Vuković 2.172 euros
Branimir Gvozdenović 2.115 euros
Luiđ Škrelja 2.018 euros
In the DF, which subsequently came into possession of the document, they say that the colleagues' procedure is unfair, and the decision is disputed from a legal point of view, which is why they will ask for its cancellation.
"All 42 deputies of the ruling majority were so engaged and so deserving in December, and I think that some of them neither spoke nor had a discussion, and many are not members of certain committees, so this is a shameful decision. He did not make this decision The Administrative Committee. The question of the status of MPs is determined by the Administrative Committee, and not by any means the collegium of the Assembly, which is an informal body and does not have the ability to make decisions. It is more advisory," pointed out Branka Bošnjak, DF MP.
"Implementing a restrictive financial policy that is a direct attack on citizens, and rewarding people who implement that restrictive policy is fundamentally not fair, it is not fair," said Milutin Đukanović, DF MP.
The Democrats, who have been boycotting the work of the Assembly for more than a year, believe that it is unnecessary to comment on any bonuses at a time when the Government is pursuing a policy of fiscal consolidation, and the people, they say, are living harder. They state that the variables on the salaries of MPs in such a situation are not appropriate, even if they all got them.
"Instead of renouncing privileges in the form of official cars, fuel, telephones, rent and daily allowances, they add bonuses to the full MP's salary at the same time as they tighten their belts for citizens in the form of new increases in taxes, excise duties, transport fuel prices and other things. Unfortunately , there is no money that can compensate poverty of spirit and greed, so it is to be expected that this kind of megalomaniac bonus practice will continue," said Valentina Minic (Democratic Montenegro).
Of the representatives of the ruling coalition, only MP Obrad Stanišić responded to the call of Television Vijesti, who referred to the head of the parliamentary club of the Democratic Party of Socialists, Miodrag Radunović. He, as well as his party colleagues whom Television News called for comment during the day, were unavailable
Milutin Đukanović says that as president of the DF parliamentary club, he was not informed about the collegium, which he was supposed to attend as a rule. The decision on the variable part of the salary was made on December 15, at the proposal of the Collegium of the President of the Assembly, which was attended by the presidents of the parliamentary clubs of the parties of the ruling coalition.
Bonuses were also given to the employees of the parliamentary services, but this is not in dispute for the DF.
Bonus video:
