{"id":28197,"date":"2020-10-24T16:27:59","date_gmt":"2020-10-24T14:27:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cins.rs\/?p=28197"},"modified":"2021-04-27T13:11:19","modified_gmt":"2021-04-27T11:11:19","slug":"lack-of-control-means-more-space-for-corruption-in-serbian-parliament","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cins.rs\/en\/lack-of-control-means-more-space-for-corruption-in-serbian-parliament\/","title":{"rendered":"Lack of Control Means More Space for Corruption in Serbian Parliament"},"content":{"rendered":"

In addition to their salary and supplement, MPs have always been entitled to certain benefits<\/a>. Fourteen years ago, the National Assembly <\/em>passed a new set of rules in a bid to save the money taxpayers set aside for these perks, but also to reduce manipulation and abuse.<\/p>

However, an analysis conducted by the Center for Investigative Journalism of Serbia <\/em>(CINS) shows that no one checks whether the MPs actually live in the apartments for the rental of which they received money, whether they have spent the money given for fuel to come to parliamentary sessions in their own car, which paves the way for abuse.<\/p>

The parliamentary Committee on Administrative, Budgetary, Mandate and Immunity Issues <\/em>defines the procedure whereby MPs gain these benefits and the amount of compensation. Thus MPs from other parts of the country sign a document at the beginning of their term of office, after which they automatically receive compensation for fuel for coming to sessions in their own car. If instead of traveling they decide to stay in Belgrade, they can get money for accommodation, and submit a contract with a landlord or a hotel receipt as proof. Those who rent an apartment are also given money for living away from their family (40% of the average monthly salary).<\/p>

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The CINS database of expenses<\/a> reveals that from the start of 2016 to the start of this year 283 MPs used these benefits, and 299 million dinars was taken from the budget for that purpose.<\/p>

During that period 289.6 million dinars was paid to MPs for fuel alone. According to current procedures, the MPs in no way proved that they had actually bought fuel with that money. In the words of former MP and deputy chairman of the Committee on Finance, State Budget and Control of Public Spending<\/em>, Milan <\/strong>Lap\u010devi\u0107<\/strong>, the procedure itself is the problem. As he puts it, the competent Committee should intensify oversight:<\/p>

\u201cIf you come to work in your own car, it\u2019s no problem, but you should document it with a road toll receipt, document it with fuel receipts, with your presence etc. This loose way of looking at it, in the sense of only whether you showed up without documenting the fact that you had come by car is, of course, subject to manipulation,\u201d Lap\u010devi\u0107 explains.<\/p>

CINS\u2019 research has also shown that even the MPs who have apartments in Belgrade used these benefits<\/a>.<\/p>

During a parliament session, an MP also has the right to stay at a four-star hotel or rent an apartment in the capital. For that they need to deliver to the parliamentary finance department a receipt from the hotel they stayed at, i.e. a contract with a landlord. From 2016 to the end of 2019, six MPs used these benefits, which cost the budget 6.3 million dinars.<\/p>