Echorouk’s Forum sheds light on Algerian MP’s controversial salaries

The weekly Echorouk’s Forum brought together a host of Parliamentarians who dwelt during the freewheeling debate on the recent hike brought to the monthly salaries of the Algerian deputies who argue that such pay rises as legitimate and logical, as they put it, contrary to the assertions of a lot of other people in Algeria who find these salaries “astronomical”.

• A row is now going on at the National Popular Assembly concerning the clear distinction to be made between “the deputies dealing with administrative questions and other deputies dealing strictly with political issues”.
• Well – informed sources suggest that the projected salary-hikes would benefit only the so-called “political deputies” as they have more responsibilities, according to some MP’s.
• A senior executive at the national social and economic council-CNES- warned against such a dichotomy between the 2 groups of deputies saying that the row stemming from this differentiation could touch off an explosive situation with unpredictable consequences.
• -Former Deputy Arezki Farad :
• “30 million centimes as a monthly salary are not enough for the “political deputies” and too much for these deputies dealing only with administrative issues”.
• He also underlined that the hyper media focus on the deputies is a practise not to be reckoned with on account of its deleterious fall-out.
• He added that the deputies’ monthly salaries are little compared to the salaries of state officials, like Ministers, Walis, Ambassadors and Army officers.
• The MP stressed that the salaries of these officials should be made public in order to know the difference between them
• -Senator Mohamed Khodja :
• “The deputes salaries in Algeria are not so hefty as they are ranked in the last 5 spots across the world.”
• He argued in this connection that the senior executives in the state apparatus had seen their salaries boosted several times while the wages of the MP’s had remained unchanged since the year 2001.
• -Ramdane Tazibiat – Workers party deputy:
• “The parties forming the Presidential alliance are behind the salary-hikes for the benefit of deputies”.
• -Hadibi : Ennahda deputy :
• The decision on the boosting of the MP’s salaries is aimed at belittling the role of the country’s political parties.
• -Meziane Meriane : Spokesman of autonomous trade union of the civil service:
• “The salary-hikes should be extended to include all civil servants without any discrimination”.
• –Rahmani Abdelmalek :
• “The social Front is on the brink of an explosion as a result of such discriminatory measures related to the recent hikes in the deputies’ salaries.”
• –Hamas MP Abdelaâli Hassani :
• “The recent salary-hikes in favour of the deputies are not shameful as some people contend; they are logical on account of the responsibilities they assume.”
• He also lashed out at the ferocious media campaign unleashed on the deputies stressing that it is aimed at “diverting” the debate.