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The severe economic measures contained in the Greek austerity plan sparked mass protests, because the Greeks saw how their thin pockets will get completely empty. While ordinary people are wondering how they will pay the huge and burdensome new taxes their representatives in parliament and the administrators they appointed continue to receive very high salaries. At the same time, it was announced that the superior government functionaries and lawmakers will be charged an additional tax of 5%. According to commentators, the measure only aims to make an impression as the MPs and the administration appointed by the parliament continue to enjoy huge salaries, while the rebellious citizens are saying they would storm the building, unsuccessfully so far.

Thus, despite the economic crisis, Greek MPs receive а gross salary in the amount of € 9,869, i.e. € 1,600 less than last year. For participation in parliamentary committees, in addition they receive an average of € 1,200. If we add their participation in summer parliamentary sessions, the benefits and the transportation costs, any elected representative of the state costs average € 118,434 in gross amount.

Members' benefits also include the cars that the parliament provides them through leasing programs, the opportunity to recruit for their offices a research associate and four civil servants moved from other offices and a policeman, who often deals with tasks that have nothing to do with his work. Even with only one term, each MP is entitled to two pensions – a deputy pension and a pension of his or her professional experience.

Another category of highly paid employees are the members of the administration in parliament. 1333 people, of whom only 75 are not permanently employed, receive 16 salaries and a number of benefits for overtime compensation, for working with a computer, for a responsible position, for years of service and transportation costs. The budget only for basic salaries is more than € 25 million, i.e. over € 19,000 per employee on the average. Of course, not all receive the same salaries.

A senior parliamentary official retired only a few days ago, who is entitled to a basic pension of € 5,169 per month after 28.5 years of service. For comparison, the chairman of the Supreme Court with the same years of service receives about 400 euros less. In addition, the parliament employees receive a single retirement twice: One from the fund supporting the parliament employees and another one from the mutual fund for civil servants. At the same time, their salary is increased by 15% when leaving the service.

Lawmakers’ caring for those privileged employees is legendary. Perhaps the reason lies in the fact that political "friends" and even relatives of parliamentary members are among them. However, the supreme council for the selection of staff will make the appointments from now on.

But the list of expenses of the Greek parliament does not end here. The TV channel of the same name that broadcasts the sessions of the plenum and committees live, movies for connoisseurs of good cinema, operas and documentaries, which employs twelve journalists and a few technicians, costs the budget € 6 million a year, stressed the New Democracy MP Kyriakos Mitsotakis in a letter to his fellow parliamentarians. He suggests that this TV channel should be closed, while other MPs believe that citizens should have the opportunity to be aware of what happens in parliament.

Another big item of expenditures of the political system’s operation is the funding of political parties. It amounted to € 68.2 million in 2009 and a year later was reduced to € 52.7 million. The party should have won at least 1.5% of the votes to obtain funding. The voters for the parties that have crossed this limit are about 6.75 million. According to a former Minister of New Democracy and now chairman of the political party Drasi (Action), this means that every vote rewarded the parties with € 10.10. Stefanos Manos stated that the relevant amount in Germany is € 0.70, because the limit there is 0.5% of the number of the votes. "If Greece applies the German system then the cost of € 68.2 million would be reduced to € 4.7 and the state would save € 63.5 million a year," he said.

To write an article for the free edition Free Sunday the journalist sent a letter requesting information about the operating costs of the parliament, the cost of salaries and other costs of deputies, the number of the administrative employees and the costs for their salaries and about the deputies and employees salaries cutting last year. In response, they sent him from parliament three press releases from last year that respond only to the last question.