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MPs receive fabulous bonuses almost without work

Member of the movement Berenika Peštová (ANO), former deputy of the Minister of the Environment Richard Brabec (ANO) and current vocal opposition politician, won the subcommittee for EU environmental legislation.

Legislators receive up to 730,000 per year for transportation to the parliament

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It met only once in this election period, in March 2022. According to the invitation published on the website of the Chamber, the meeting had four points. After the chairwoman’s introduction, the deputies elected a vice-chairwoman, discussed the planning of events within the environmental agenda and ended with general “miscellaneous”. For this, Pestová has so far received approximately 700 thousand crowns.

“That’s true,” Peštová confirms that she actually convened her subcommittee only once. “But I’ve also done five seminars during that time, they just concern the environmental directives that are currently being adopted by the European Parliament,” she added.

She wanted an audience, that’s not in the subcommittee

It is said that she went the route of public seminars so that more people would learn about the topic, since the subcommittees are closed to the public. So why is the subcommittee holding? “So that I could patronize the seminars and not have to depend on the decision of the chairman of the committee, who is from the coalition,” she defends herself.

Moravian-Silesian MP Michal Ratiborský acts similarly. He originally chaired only the subcommittee for development cooperation, which falls under the foreign affairs committee. According to documents of the House of Representatives, it has met four times since its establishment, most recently last March. Last summer, the ANO movement entrusted him with another subcommittee – for defense, cyber and security policy and strategic concepts.

It was originally led by the mayor, governor and MP Josef Bělica (ANO). During his tenure – at a time when Russian aggression is taking place in Ukraine and the Czech Republic is revising its defense strategies – he convened it twice, according to the documents of the Chamber. Then he gave up his position as one of the few due to their accumulation and was replaced by Ratiborský.

Once there was only the chairman and the team did not come.

Chairman of the Committee for Defense Lubomír Metnar

That the work of one of the defense subcommittees is really faltering is admitted by the former minister of defense for ANO, the current chairman of the defense committee, Lubomír Metnar. In defense of his colleagues, he says: “Once there was only the chairman and the team did not come.”

Metnar doesn’t want to get bogged down in the debate about whether such a subcommittee makes sense, he says it’s a question for his colleagues. Strategic documents are said to be easily discussed at the defense committee.

Ratiborský says that the functioning of the Chamber is responsible for the low number of meetings. “Guests were invited, invitations were sent out and an extraordinary meeting was announced. Then an alternative date was found and it turned out the same,” said Ratiborský, who receives a reward of 21,000.

Nevertheless, the politicians of the ANO movement can lead subcommittees in other ways. Patrik Nacher is entitled to an additional fee for leading the parliamentary committee for media matters, the subcommittee for consumer protection leads for free. At the same time, it meets – apart from holidays – regularly every month.

The members of the “home” parliamentary committee then decide on the establishment of the subcommittee and its possible cancellation by voting. The structure of the previous House of Representatives is often adopted, modifications occur sporadically and are rather cosmetic.

Ceremonies and meetings for a few minutes

SPD deputies also have questionable results and an additional fee for subcommittee leadership. Jan Síla convened the subcommittee for taxes, customs and lotteries three times according to the invitations listed on the website of the House of Representatives. Sometimes only for a few minutes after the meeting of the budget committee that oversees it. What the deputies discussed cannot be found out through official channels. “It’s a secret,” said Síla, the chairman with a monthly salary of 21,000, to News and Rights.

The head of the subcommittee for aviation and space program Karel Sládeček (SPD) found a rather representative role. Deputies here appreciate merits in aviation or give patronage to events.

Similar examples can also be found in coalition ranks. Romana Bělohlávková (KDU-ČSL) heads the subcommittee for public health, epidemiology and prevention. It met four times. STAN vice-president Michaela Šebelová heads the subcommittee for the field of specialized and professional education, science and research. He met three times.

“We only met to discuss what was on the agenda, and not much has changed in this area,” explains the low frequency of meetings. “The way the committees and subcommittees are set up is strange and a total restructuring is needed,” she told Novinkám a Práv. According to her, some subcommittees have so much agenda that they deserve a separate committee, and then there are those that she won as a parliamentary newcomer.

Sládeček, Bělohlávková and Šebelová also receive 21,000 per month for their positions in subcommittees.

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