Representatives’ salaries in Montenegro have increased since the changes in the Law on earnings in public sector. According to this Law, suggested by the Government, and voted by DPS, minority parties, Liberal Party and Positive Montenegro, more than half of representatives receive around 2 000 EUR or close to it, Anadolija Agency reports.
Average salary in Montenegro (according to MONSTAT) is 499 EUR, which means that representatives earn four times more than the average citizen.
When it comes to April earnings, the highest salary was received by former President of the Parliament Ranko Krivokapić – 2.222 EUR, then Vice President Branko Radulović 2.148 EUR, while Radivoje Nikčević, Neven Gošović and Jelisava Kalezić received 2.070 EUR each.
Representatives were not in the mood to comment on the increase. NGO sector said that the increase is not the best idea in the moment when economy of the state has troubles.
“Keeping in mind life and economic standard in Montenegro, we can notice the discrepancy between representatives’ earnings and that of average citizen. The economic situation is tough, so these kinds of increases are probably not the best solution”, said Edin Koljenović from Građanska alijansa.
When compared with earnings of their colleagues in the region, we can see that Montenegrin representatives receive much more in income.
Serbian and Croatian representatives earn two times more than the average citizen.
In Hungary and Romania the difference is only 400 EUR, while in Bulgaria the amount is almost the same. The exception is in BiH, where representatives receive almost 7 times more than the average citizen of this country.
