Larger penalties for MPs for unjustified absence. There are changes in the regulations of the Sejm

On Wednesday, MPs adopted amendments to the Sejm regulations, which provide for the loss or reduction of the diet and reduction of salary in connection with the unjustified absence of the MP at the sessions of the Sejm. For the fourth and every day of such absence, the diet and salary of deputies can be reduced by 1/5.

233 deputies voted for changes in the regulations – above all the ruling coalition, 179 were against – primarily PiS club, 14 – primarily confederation deputies – abstained. Earlier, MPs did not agree to the application submitted by PiS to reject the project.

Changes in the regulations of the Sejm They relate to the loss or reduction of the parliamentary diet and salary in connection with the unjustified absence of the MP at the sessions of the Sejm.

According to the justification, the changes are aimed at “tightening statutory sanctions related to the loss and reduction of the parliamentary diet and a decrease in deputy's salary due to the unjustified lack of participation of the MP in the sitting of the Sejm or its body.”

The new regulations provide for a change in the method of confirming the presence of deputies on the meeting. According to previous solutions, the presence of a deputy at the sitting of the Sejm is confirmed in the list of the presence of the lectured each day until the end of the meeting and by confirmed by printouts participation in voting. The Presidium of the Sejm proposed that, as a rule, MPs confirmed their presence at the Sejm sitting with a signature on the list of presence of the meeting each day.

At the same time, it was provided that on the day of sitting the Sejm in which voting is carried out, Confirmation of the presence of a deputy at the sitting of the Sejm is his participation in at least 4/5 of votes.

Currently, the Marshal of the Sejm manages the reduction of the salary and parliamentary diet of the MP A: 1/30 for each day of unjustified absence from the sitting of the Sejm or for failure to participate in a given day in more than 1/5 of votes and 0 1/30 for each day of unjustified absence at a committee meeting, if the number of these absences exceeded 1/5 of the number of committees in the calendar month.

The change of regulations increases sanctions in connection with the unjustified absence at the sitting of the Sejm, if it is greater than 3 days in a given month. In this case, the Speaker of the Sejm may order a reduction in the salary and parliamentary diet of the MP 1/5 for the fourth and each next day of unjustified absence during the Sejm.

The new recipe provides for the loss of a parliamentary diet and a reduction in salary to 1/10 of its amount in the following months, if the MP, in connection with unjustified absencewill leave 18 consecutive days of the Sejm sitting. This applies until the MP takes part in the sitting of the Sejm.

The changes assume the possibility of appealing to the Presidium of the Sejm from the managed resolution within 7 days of the day it is served to the MP. The deduction would be made no earlier than after 7 days from the date of adopting a resolution on the loss of a parliamentary diet and reduction of salary or after reconsideration of the case.

According to the amendment, the reduction of deputy's salary may not exceed a total of 9/10 of its amount. (PAP)

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