Lower house approves five-year salary freeze for state officials

The Chamber of Deputies on Tuesday approved a bill which would freeze the salaries of elected officials for a period of five years. The proposed freeze would affect the incomes of MPs, senators, judges and the president. According to the existing law, the salaries of state officials would rise by 6 percent in 2022, which some MPs see as unethical in view of the present state of public finances.

The bill was approved at an extraordinary session of the lower house just three days ahead of the country’s general elections. It will now go to the Senate.