The lowest monthly salary for an MP in the Parliament of the Republic of Macedonia is 1.335 euros, and even though the Parliament is not working, the MPs from the new Parliament have been regularly receiving their salaries for the last 72 days.
“It is in accordance with regulations. Some of those people have quit their previous jobs, and we cannot leave them without any income,” said Todor Pendarov, an advisor for public relations at the Parliament of the Republic of Macedonia when asked by a journalist whether the MPs are receiving salaries.
“They regularly receive a salary because of a very simple reason – at the moment their mandates are being verified and they have lost their old jobs and that means they have to receive a salary. It’s was the same situation in another case, when MPs did not come to work for over a year, but they still received their salaries”, said Pendarov.
Nonetheless, the salary of an MP is three and a half times higher than the average salary that is paid in Republic of Macedonia i.e. it is calculated according to a coefficient 3.5.
“They have no reason to come to work because after the constitutive session on the 30th of December, they have nothing to do at work. Parliament is working when there is a report, a draft law, for example, and at the moment there is nothing going on, therefore, there is no reason for MPs to go to work”, said Pendarov.
According to the most recent data from the State Statistical Office, in December last year, the average salary was 23.457, 00 denars. Hence, the MPs receive a monthly salary in the amount of, at least 82.100, 00 denars i.e. 1.335 euros, on which a previous length of service. – for some that would be a plus of 2% and for others 10% more.
The presidents of the parliamentary commissions and the parliamentary group chiefs receive a salary with a coefficient of 3.7, the vice-president of the Parliament receives a salary according to a coefficient 4, and the president of the Parliament receives according to a coefficient 4.5, which is just as much as the president of Republic of Macedonia and the president of the government.
