Parliament has already managed to earn money – Respublika.lt

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The leaders of the three parties that make up the ruling majority, Aušrinė Armonaitė, Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen and Gabrielius Landsbergis, signed a coalition agreement on November 9. Photo of Elta

The Seimas of the new mandate began his work with the formation of the leadership of the Seimas, the Conference of Elders, the committees and commissions of the Seimas and other structural subdivisions. A new committee, the Future, has emerged, but it is unclear who needs it, as its main function is “to prepare and consider shaping the future development of society and state.” The Migration Commission has been abolished, which shows that the migratory processes do not interest politicians.

This Seimas will go down in history as the first to be given the opportunity to hold plenary sessions remotely; Three sessions have already been held in this way.

The Parliament approved the program of Ingrida Šimonytė’s Government, after which the appointed members of the Government were sworn in and given the mandate to act. Seimas President Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen is very pleased that the government is more feminine than ever, as if her professionalism depended on it.

“This is a victory,” says V. Čmilytė-Nielsen.

In the first session, the parliament approved the state budget for 2021. Unfortunately, it foresees a deficit around a billion higher than that planned by the Saul Skvernel government: 11,252 million. 15,828 million euros of income. costs. Loans exceed income by almost 4,576 million euros. euros. This is the all-time Lithuanian anti-record.

The Seimas Chancellery also prepared an overview of the closed session, but only professionals are listed.

“The amendments adopted by the Seimas will allow the indexation and increase of pensions this year. 2021 Old-age, early retirement, disability, widowhood and orphan pensions will increase by 9.58%. It was also decided this year to start indexing the state pensions of officers and military, judges, victims, first and second degree and investigators.

The Seimas increased benefits for children and created more opportunities for students to purchase discounted transportation tickets. In addition, starting this fall, free meals will be given to all second-grade students, ”says the Foreign Ministry, hiding that at least the last credit belongs to the former government and the Seimas.

The Foreign Ministry also notes that the salaries of the lowest paid employees in the budget sector will increase and that the salaries of employees in the field of social services will increase more sharply as of July. The base salary of the official salary, according to which the salaries of all budget employees are calculated, even those with the highest salary, will increase by one euro this year and will reach 177 euros.

“In the session it was decided that the civil servants who have reached retirement age and, therefore, are dismissed, will be able to receive a severance pay equivalent to 2 months of their average salary on the day of their dismissal.

The Seimas granted people suffering from oncological diseases the right to buy a transport ticket with 80 percent. discount, also from March 1. extended reimbursement limits for drugs and their supplements for the poor. Residents will be able to recover part of the personal income tax paid, regardless of whether the qualification is acquired, “the review says.”

Even a new legalization of the basis for acquiring dual citizenship is considered a good job: a Lithuanian citizen will be able to become a citizen of another state when a person who acquired Lithuanian citizenship by birth and acquired citizenship of another state before the age of 18 does not acquired it at birth.

Unfortunately, some controversial or even dangerous decisions are muted. For example, after the presentation, the Seimas approved the proposal to decriminalize drugs. If the project successfully completes the deliberation and acceptance stages in the spring session, the production, processing, acquisition, possession, transportation, or transfer of small amounts of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances without the intention of selling or distributing them would no longer be punishable. A symbolic fine (20-100 euros) would be imposed.

Or, it has finally been decided to approve the project of the Ministry of the Environment, which will allow the buildings to be erected by installing attics, supposedly so that the new areas are given to the social housing fund. Some parliamentarians have ignored the idea that the situation will become ungovernable and that even in old cities buildings will be erected, as was the case with the Novotel on Gediminas avenue in the capital. the attic of that building increased by three floors.

“Do we want these examples to spread one after another all over Lithuania?” MP Kęstutis Masiulis asked rhetorically.

By the way, two members of the new Seimas, Ramūnas Karbauskis and Antanas Guoga, decided to resign and the parliament allowed two colleagues, Vytautas Gapšis and Petras Gražulis, to be tried.

The Seimas will meet for the second ordinary session (spring) on ​​March 10.