+12 Kyiv
The people’s deputy from a majority district Viktor Chumak considers that parliamentarians have to receive a sufficient salary so that they could fulfil their direct duties if they do not have business. He said this in his comment to the GORDON edition.
"Suppose the deputy lives in Kiev. If his wife and family work, they can survive somehow. And now imagine a deputy from another city. Though their accommodation is paid for, they first need to pay themselves, then file the necessary documents to the accounting department of the Verkhovna Rada and then to receive compensation. But how? What money do they pay? Besides, they must come to work or fly to Kiev. This money is not given to them automatically either. I am saying absolutely real things. We sometimes go so far in our populism that we actually destroy ourselves. A public servant, a deputy, a militia officer, or a prosecutor cannot work for such salaries. He simply cannot fulfil his duties in an absolutely professional and honest manner," Chumak considers.
"When people say that deputies should be reduce the salary, in fact, we must understand that 60% of deputies do nothing. That are inflicted no damage at all because these deputies do not need their salary at all. But these people first of all do harm to those deputies who work honestly and live on the salary and have no other income. Therefore, we kill the sound grain in our populism. Why should the deputy Zhevago need a salary of UAH 5000? He does not need it for anything. Why should the millionaire Tigipko need a salary of UAH 5000? He does not need it for anything either," thinks Viktor Chumak.
However, the deputy notes that the salary is really a means of livelihood for the parliamentarians who do not have their own business.
"But the deputy Chumak who has no business at all, and his family has no business, needs this salary. The deputy Nayem who came from journalism and has no other income needs it. We do not win anything reducing the salary for the deputy Tigipko, Zhevago or some other millionaires. We will not achieve anything, but we will create absolutely intolerable conditions for living and performance of duties for those deputies who live on the salary. Yes, they are not many, but there are some. They carry out their duties honestly, and we simply block this opportunity for them," Chumak noted.
The salary fund for assistants was also reduced along with the deputy’s salary.
"The salary fund for assistants was also reduced from 20 000 to 12 000 along with the deputy’s salary. There can be 32 assistants on a paid basis, but no more than four on the civil service. Imagine that the circumstances force us to hire assistants for UAH 3000 a month. These are normal assistants who work hard throughout the day, they are engaged in writing bills. I just tell my assistants, "I do not know how to live on". The fund of deputy powers was also reduced to 6 000. Deputies from party lists do not need it at all. It is all the same to them whether this fund exists or not. And majority candidates were maintaining their receptions from this fund at least," Chumak stated.
