Deputies salaries likely to remain frozen, but not quite out of altruism

The Finance Ministry has made provisions to increase Parliamentary deputies salaries in the 2003 state budget. However many deputies want to reject the offer. Zycie received a document stating that the increase would be 4%. This is a figure that employees in many state-owned companies will also receive. "This is only a proposal, it can be rejected," stressed a member of Sejm Regulatory Commission. Other members of the Commission were not willing to officially discuss the proposal, but doubt whether deputies salaries would increase even by a single zloty. Prime Minster Leszek Miller froze deputies salaries this year and they will remain frozen until deputies decide otherwise. "I prefer not to receive any more money and then later read in the papers that we have given ourselves a pay rise. Nothing will happen if salaries remain frozen for 2003, and we should remember that the economic situation is still very bad," said Eugeniusz Klopotek from the Polish Peasants Party. (Zycie, pp. 1, 5) M.M.