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Tens of thousands of candidates will participate in the elections for local governments despite the drastic reduction in their income since January 2013. Romantics would probably attribute this fact to the candidates’ desire to contribute to the common good. But those who know local government in detail would remind us that it holds the championship in terms of corruption.

Will the remuneration of local governors during their five-year term will be enough for them to cover both the cost of their election campaign and their personal expenses which will be increased because of the position?

250,000 euro gross for Mayors

The highest remuneration, which a local governor can receive over the 5 year term, amounts to 250,000 euro gross or about 160,000 euro net. This corresponds to the total salary of mayors in cities with a population of more than 100,000 inhabitants, which is 4,275 euro gross per month.

Deputy Governors receive 3,206 euro and Deputy Mayors in major municipalities - 2,137 euro. Remunerations of Mayors in cities with between 20,000 and 100,000 inhabitants are lower (3,424 euro), as well as in cities with less than 20,000 inhabitants (2,565 euro) and Deputy Mayors there receive 1,710 euro and 1,283 euro gross, respectively.

Euro deputies are well paid

Things are quite different when it comes to Euro MPs, whose salary amounts to 6,200 euro net and this amount is doubled when they participate in all meetings of the European Parliament, for each of which they are paid 304 euro.

They also receive 21,000 per year as employees in the offices in Brussels. 110 people per year have all the privileges of members of national parliaments with regard to employees and guards, plane tickets (round trips to Brussels), as well as airfare costs and expenses for their stay in Brussels.

Meanwhile 7 million euro will be divided among political parties for the European elections. According to the decision of the inter-party committee, funding will be provided according to the election results of the European elections in 2009, and the results of the elections themselves.

50% of funding, i.e. 3.5 million euro will go to parties which had MEPs during the past European elections, and it will be given according to the percentages at the time. 10%, i.e. 700,000 euro will be given to parties which are represented in parliament today.

The remaining 40% will be given to parties after the elections according to the percentages achieved on 25 May.

The inter-party committee: funding has been reduced by 85%

At the meeting, the committee discussed the regular financing of political parties. The committee assured that funding has been reduced by 85% from 2011 to now. In particular:

• In 2011, it was 55 million euro
• In 2012, it was 21 million euro
• In 2013, it was 31 million euro
• In 2014 it will be around 7 million euro.

How will radio and television time be distributed?

No concrete agreement has been reached. There are 3 options: time can be distributed according to the results of the European elections in 2009, according to the results of the national elections in 2012, or in equal parts.

There are no restrictions in electoral appearances of candidates for mayors and governors

Electoral appearances of candidate mayors and governors on the radio, television and Internet, will not be restricted in accordance with the amendment of the Interior Ministry, submitted to Parliament.

According to the explanation to the amendment, the short duration of the election period, especially in regions and municipalities with a large number of citizens obviously makes it difficult for potential candidates for regional governors and mayors to communicate with citizens and present their programmes. Limitation of election expenses deprives the majority of candidates from using television and radio commercials, as well as websites and pages, and, as a result, the public will not be informed.