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The Parliament is set to discuss a new law that would limit the benefits given to former Presidents of the Republic and former Presidents of the House of Representatives. The Institutions Committee has recommended that official cars be provided for only five years after leaving office, and that allowances for fuel and maintenance be removed.
However, the committee decided not to cut the allowance for hiring a secretary.
Independent MP Alexandra Attalidou disagrees with parts of the proposal. She said that the issue isn’t just about money, it’s about principles. “Democracy shouldn’t mean giving unlimited privileges. Holding public office ends when your term ends, not when you die,” she explained.
Attalidou added that the bill her party Volt proposed simply makes these benefits more reasonable without disrespecting the institutions or the people who served in them.
She also pointed out that some members want the secretary allowance to continue for life, which she opposes. Even though the committee approved it, she plans to submit an amendment in the Plenary. She believes five years is more than enough for a former President to finish memoirs and organize their archives.
Finally, she intends to submit another amendment to ensure that if a former President takes another position later, their benefits from the first office would stop. “It doesn’t make sense for the state to keep paying someone who has chosen to lead another organization,” she said.
