S. Skvernelis proposes to connect parliamentary funds to the salary of Seimas members

“It is necessary, as I mentioned, in full or not in full, here we can discuss what that (parliamentary funds – BNS) amount should be, add it to the salary and the story will end,” S. Skvernelis told Žinių radio on Friday.

“There will be tax on that part, because now there is no tax on stationery, it will be completely normal, civilized and there will be no stories like we are seeing,” he added.

The procedure for the payment of parliamentary funds has been discussed for some time following public activist Andriis Tapinas raised doubts regarding the reasonableness of the expenses of some members of the Seimas.

After he extended the “Skaidrinam” initiative and began to examine the expenses of the members of the Seimas, it became clear that part of the money allocated for their parliamentary activities was spent on expensive equipment, which, it is doubtful, is compatible with their direct work. It is also assumed that the parliamentarians hastened to purchase this equipment near the end of the term, when the purchased items remain the property of the members of the Seimas following the end of the term.

As a result, on Monday, the representatives of the Seimas board and factions decided to discuss in the factions what should be improved in order to have more transparency in the use of these funds.

Members of the Seimas are allocated a monthly amount of 0.8 of the average monthly salary for expenses related to their parliamentary activities: rent of an office, computer equipment, communication services, transport costs, car operation, souvenirs, services of public information producers and the like.

There were discussions in the Seimas to abandon expenses allocated to parliamentary activities, instead simply increasing the salaries of Seimas members, but these initiatives did not move forward, because the reimbursement of expenses allocated to parliamentary activities is provided for in the Constitution, and more complicated and longer procedures are provided for its change than for other legal acts.

The Constitution stipulates that the work of a member of the Seimas, as well as expenses related to his parliamentary activities, are paid from the state budget.