About 80 euros were set aside for the compensation of former MPs and advisors in the Parliament of Montenegro last month, and this could soon change because the ruling Europe Now Movement (PES) plans to initiate changes to the law defining this.
This was announced to "Vijesta" yesterday by the head of the PES parliamentary club, Miodrag Laković, saying that the party, in agreement with its allies from the parliamentary majority, will propose changes to the act, which stipulates that benefits are received one year after the termination of office.
Whether the fees will be reduced, paid out in a shorter period, or both - will depend on the agreement of the parliamentary majority, said Laković. If any of these are agreed upon, it is clear that less money will be received from the state.
The coalition agreement on the new government stipulates that the parliamentary majority will not support the adoption of laws that were not previously agreed upon by the collegium of the leaders of its constituents or the heads of parliamentary clubs of those parties.
Official allowances are defined by laws on salaries of employees in the public sector and civil servants and state employees. That solution was introduced by the government of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS).
In addition to MPs and parliamentary officials, ex-ministers and other officials in the Government and the entire state administration also receive compensation, so we can talk about a cost of several hundred thousand euros per month, and several million per year.
The Government announced to "Vijesti" that today they will submit data on the number of officials' compensation in the last three years and how much money was spent on it.
The NGO sector has repeatedly appealed to reduce the fees, shorten the period of their receipt and define who can receive them.
The Law on Salaries of Employees in the Public Sector (Article 36) stipulates that officials have the right to receive compensation for one year after termination of office in the amount of the salary they received in the last month before termination of office, with appropriate adjustment. The fee is realized at the user's personal request.
The Law on Civil Servants and State Employees (Article 60) states that "an appointed or appointed person", who has not been assigned to another workplace, has the right to compensation in the amount of the salary he had in the last month of performing the duties of the workplace where he was appointed, i.e. appointed, with appropriate coordination. The law leaves open the possibility that the "exceptional" right to compensation can be extended for another year, if during that time he acquires the right to a pension.
The Center for Civic Education (CGO) announced on Sunday that they have once again submitted an initiative to amend two laws to the Committee for the Political System, Judiciary and Administration.
"Encouraged by the statements of some representatives of the new parliamentary majority, such as the Vice-President of the Assembly Zdenka Popović (Democrat), and Miodrag Laković, the president of the PES parliamentary group, the CGO directly sent the initiative to them," said Vasilije Radulović, an associate on programs at that NGO.
He reminds that the CGE sent this initiative to the previous Assembly convocation in February 2022, but that their proposal was ignored.
The initiative proposed changes to the existing legal solutions in order to shorten the period of receiving official benefits from the current year to three months, and it was also proposed to abolish the possibility of extending the payment of benefits up to one year if the official acquires the right to a pension during that period.
Also, the CGO suggested that instead of the amount equal to the salary that the official received in the last month before the termination of office, it should be limited to the amount equal to the average net salary in Montenegro.
The initiative foresees limitations regarding the realization of this right, so officials who have spent less than three months in office, who have been dismissed from office, as well as those officials who have been dismissed at their personal request, would not have the right to compensation upon termination of office.
For the sake of harmonization, the initiative proposed an amendment (Article 60) of the Law on Civil Servants and State Employees, in the part of the compensation amount to which appointed and appointed persons whose mandate has ended, and which have not been distributed within a period of one year, are entitled.
Fees in October for 34 MPs and 11 advisors
According to data from the website of the Assembly, 34 MPs received official allowances in October. Fees ranged from 1,6 thousand to 4,9 thousand euros per deputy.
In October, eight former advisers of the former President of the Assembly Danijela Đurović and three advisers of the Vice-President of the Parliament Branka Bošnjak received compensation. Their fees ranged from 1,1 thousand to 1,7 thousand euros.
Bonus video:
