The MPs’ allowances would be slightly reduced, but the reduction is insignificant compared to the total amounts collected monthly. To these are added a number of benefits, such as settlement of some expenses and travel allowances.
Currently, each parliamentarian benefits from a lump sum of approximately 35,500 lei per month, which is almost 7,000 euros. The coalition decided that this amount should be reduced by 10%. This means that the amount received by parliamentarians for their offices will decrease by 3,550 lei. Thus, the elected will be left with almost 32,000 lei.
This amount is used for the parliamentarians’ offices, being intended for the payment of salaries, rents or utilities. Parliamentarians do not have to justify spending this money in full. That is, for half of this amount, he does not have to present receipts or other evidence that the money was spent for professional purposes.
Practically, after the current cuts, the level of the lump sums received by the parliamentarians remains beyond the year 2023, when this amount amounted to 28,000 lei. At that time, the elected officials decided to increase the lump sums by approximately 7,000 lei, justifying the need to increase the salaries of the cabinet staff.
The sums combined with the basic allowance reach a total cost for each parliamentarian of over 9,000 euros per month.
How much does a parliamentarian earn?
In addition to the budget intended for the cabinets, the parliamentarians earn a monthly gross basic salary in the amount of 18,720 gross lei, leaving 11,000 lei in hand, i.e. over 2,000 euros.
Salary increases for management positions. Parliamentarians can occupy the positions of quaestors, secretaries, group leaders, chairmen and vice-chairmen of committees. In the case of the president of the Chamber of Deputies, his salary reaches over 23,000 gross lei.
However, parliamentarians also enjoy other benefits, such as settlements in the case of multiple expenses. For example, if I don’t own a home in the capital or in Ilfov county, I can pay 4,600 lei monthly for accommodation. For transport I receive 1,400 lei per month. Also, the deputies and senators present at the works of the Parliament, who are not domiciled in Bucharest or in the Ilfov county, receive a travel allowance, per day, of 2% of the gross monthly allowance provided for the deputy or senator, i.e. almost 400 lei.
