After the ordeal of truck drivers, Seimas’ ambition to ban cash wages | Deal

Introducing the amendments to the ban on paying wages in cash, MP Mykolas Majauskas stated that the road transport sector is special in Lithuania: it can enjoy growth even during a coronavirus pandemic, creating 7%. The country’s economy and its companies are the most important even in the European Union.

According to him, while some of these achievements have been achieved through investment, innovation, creativity and productivity, another part of the advancement of the sector has been related to fraud, fraudulent accounting, document falsification and misappropriation of assets.

“This situation is revealed by many journalistic investigations,” said M. Majauskas, one of the authors of the initiative.

In recent weeks there have been publications on the conditions of truck drivers in Lithuania 15 minutes and Freedom TV.

“This is also evidenced by the certificate from the Financial Crimes Investigation Service, which describes specific pre-trial investigations and what the shadow looks like in the transportation sector,” said the chairman of the Seimas Budget and Finance Committee.

According to him, the FNTT draws attention to unrealistic cash spending orders in the transportation sector, as well as the fact that companies collect funds from drivers in hedge funds and do not return them in all cases, finding various excuses.

In addition, assignments for missions in the sector are often paid in cash, some of which are not accounted for. The drivers themselves are hired only before the departure of the trip, and when they return, they are “released” in the form of a free license until the next departure.

I don’t know if we want to have a business in Lithuania, companies that base their competitiveness on fraudulent accounting and exploitation of employees.

Given the problems that afflict the transport sector, limiting the payment of wages in cash is one of the first recommendations of the FNTT, said M. Majauskas.

According to him, the Labor Inspectorate declares a similar situation and offers the same recommendations.

“I don’t know if we want to have a business in Lithuania, companies that base their competitiveness on fraudulent accounting and exploitation of employees,” said a member of the Seimas.

The ban on paying salaries in cash at the presentation stage was supported by 70 members of the Seimas, before there were three politicians, 33 parliamentarians abstained.

The main debate among parliamentarians was whether the ban on cash wages would not aggravate the situation for people living in the regions.

“How are people in the regions guided by the lack of access to financial services? They give the neighbor a card with a PIN code so he can go to the city and bring him cash because he has no car and no rights of his own. And if you come to an ATM in the region on a pension day or payday, the ATM is empty, ”said Valius Ąžuolas, a representative of the opposition“ peasants ”in the Seimas.

“First, we provide financial services in the regions, and then let’s say that everything must be transferred to the card,” he added.

For similar reasons, some other opposition politicians have raised concerns about the bill.

For example, “peasant” Tom Tomilin asked whether it would not be appropriate to leave in the amendments the restriction that wages be paid only by bank transfer to transport and construction companies, the sectors that receive the most complaints for non-transparent activities. .

However, M. Majauskas suggested that equality be respected for all. According to him, the availability of opportunities to withdraw money in the regions is sufficient.

According to the politician, only 1.5 percent. The distance from the Lithuanian population to the nearest ATM is more than 20 kilometers.

“Another question is whether so many residents actually receive a cash salary and have a general employment relationship,” said a member of the Seimas.

The restriction on the payment of allowances in cash, presented by a separate project of the Minister of the Environment Simon Gentvilas, was supported by 86 members of the Seimas, 20 deputies abstained.

Although the project was registered more than a year ago, it brought relevance, says the politician.

“Last week an extensive journalistic investigation came out, which reaffirmed why we registered the project,” Gentvilas said.

The “employee” Mindaugas Puidokas asked what essential problems the daily allowance will solve only by bank transfer.

The Minister argued that those who knew the displaced people knew that in some sectors there was a risk of unaccounted and unregulated deductions for, for example, damages.

Just as Lithuanians brought currency before joining the European Union, returning from a long business trip, it still exists (in Lithuania – 15 minutes).

“This will benefit transparent companies that have competitors with bad practices … and workers’ rights will be protected,” Gentvilas said.

According to the politician, the current practice of the existence of cash in some sectors reminds him of the stories of Lithuanian emigrants from several decades ago.

“Just as Lithuanians brought currency before joining the European Union, returning from a long business trip, it still exists today (in Lithuania – 15 minutes). The world has changed over the years and wire transfers are definitely not expensive, ”said S. Gentvilas.

“This is the hygiene of the 21st century,” he added.

After the approval of the projects after presentation, the discussions on these proposals will now go to the Seimas committees, and then they must return to the plenary room for their consideration and adoption.