Four MPs... may until June 9 (based on legislation passed relatively recently), renounce the government pensions they receive in addition to the parliamentary remuneration to which they are entitled, as they secured seats in the parliamentary seats of the new Parliament.
The new legislation was approved last summer by the Parliament, with its previous composition, in the context of the debate on the abolition of multiple pensions, but also the parallel payment of pension and salary.
They are Savia Orfanidou, DISY MP, the General Secretary of AKEL, Stefanos Stefanou, AKEL MP, Giannakis Gabriel and the president of the ALMA movement, Odysseas Michailidis. These people receive a pension, either because of their professional or political activity.
The DISY MP receives a pension as she worked at the Ministry of Finance. During her tenure in the previous Parliament, she granted this pension to the Standing Fund of the Republic. However, based on the new legal framework, he will have to declare again, either that he will renounce the pension, or that he will continue to pay it to the state's Fixed Fund.
The General Secretary of AKEL is receiving a pension, as he had served as Government Spokesman during the government of Demetris Christofias.
Mr. Gabriel receives a pension as, before his election as an MP, he was a teacher.
Odysseas Michaelides receives pension benefits due to his work in the Public Sector and his tenure in the Audit Service.
In addition to the specific four MPs, there is a possibility that other members of the new Parliament may also fall under the legislation, due to their possible employment in the wider public sector. Something that will be clarified in the coming days, before the new MPs take office.
The provisions of the law
According to the law approved last August, "an official who is elected or appointed to a public office, function or position in the Republic or in the European Union, may refuse to provide a pension for the period of time he receives a salary, remuneration or compensation, as a result of his election or appointment, by submitting to the Minister of Finance a Declaration of Pension Waiver".
At the same time, it is stated that "the Pension Waiver Statement is signed and submitted immediately after the election or appointment of the official or no later than fifteen days from his election or appointment and the Minister of Finance takes all the required actions".
In the event that a state official, after 15 days from his election or appointment, does not renounce the pension, then, according to the legislation, the Minister of Finance should send a letter to the Speaker of the Parliament, informing in writing of the official's decision.
The same arrangement will apply to new Members of Parliament who may have worked in the semi-public sector. This regulation was implemented during the last reshuffle of the Government, last December.
In the new legislation, which was the product of a law proposal, the application of the name and shame method to those who did not renounce state pensions was mentioned. Although some of the new ministers did not renounce pensions, their names were not made public.
