Photo from UNIAN
The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, adopted draft resolution No. 7172 on December 7 on financial support for lawmakers' activity, according to an UNIAN correspondent.
The document was backed by 235 MPs with the required minimum at 226 votes.
First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada's regulation committee Pavlo Pynzenyk says that the draft resolution proposes lawmakers' official salaries be set at the level of those of Cabinet members based on the minimum living wages established for able-bodied persons as of January 1 of the calendar year.
In addition, the payroll fund of deputy assistant consultants is determined, based on the said social guarantee. It is envisaged to establish a common monthly fund for remuneration of assistant deputy consultants to the tune of 25 minimum living wage sums set for able-bodied persons as of January 1 of the calendar year.
Read alsoAverage nominal wage in Ukraine grows by almost 40% in Oct
He also noted that a deputy is equated with a member of the government in terms of financial, social, and housing provision.
"The specified requirements of the law on the status of a people's deputy have not yet been observed," the official stressed.
Given this, the draft resolution proposes ensuring financial support for deputies and equating them to members of the Cabinet in matters of financial security.
"For example, the official salary of a minister is now UAH 16,000 [US$590]. According to the draft resolution, it is proposed to establish the same amount of the official pay for a parliamentarian, a member of the committee," Pynzenyk said.
In addition, he assured that additional financing from the state budget does not need to implement the relevant provisions, because there are enough budget assignments stipulated by the law on the state budget for 2017, as well as the funds planned for 2018 to finance the Verkhovna Rada.