Parliamentary Deputy Andrii Parubyi of the Our Ukraine-People's Self-Defense bloc (OU-PSD) has proposed that the parliament cancel several of the privileges enjoyed by parliamentary deputies.
Parubyi made this proposal in the draft law No. 3348 entitled "On Amendments to the Law of Ukraine on the Status of the People's Deputy of Ukraine (regarding reduction of the privileges of parliamentary deputies)," which was registered in the parliament on November 10.
In particular, Parubyi proposes canceling the law's provision that stipulates that the speaker and deputy speakers of the parliament are to be provided with automobiles, secretariats, guards, offices for official events, and money for official entertainments in amounts not exceeding 40% of their official salaries.
Parubyi also proposes canceling the law's provision that grants parliamentary deputies the right to housing, official automobiles, and health benefits in amounts double their monthly wages during their 45-day vacation between parliamentary sessions.
The draft law provides for setting the official salary of a parliamentary deputy at an amount equal to 15 minimum wages (according to the current version of the law, the wages of parliamentary deputies are set by the parliament and their bonuses equal those of members of the Cabinet of Ministers).
The draft law also provides for canceling the existing law's provision that prioritizes provision of employment to the wife/husband of a parliamentary deputy that is forced to leave her/his place of residence and job because of the election of her/his spouse as a parliamentary deputy.
The draft law proposes that parliamentary deputies that retire on pension should be stripped of the privilege involving monetary payments equal to 12 monthly wages of a current parliamentary deputy and the right to increased pensions.
The draft law also proposes limiting the size of the pensions of former parliamentary deputies to 12 minimum age-based pensions established by mandatory state pension insurance (the active legislation makes no provision for this).
The draft law also provides for stripping parliamentary deputies of the right to life insurance worth the cost of upkeep of a parliamentary deputy for 10 years.
As Ukrainian News earlier reported, the parliament refused in June to cancel parliamentary deputies' immunity and several of their privileges.
The first reading of the relevant draft law (No. 1356-2) received only 25 votes while at least 226 votes were required for its approval.
