The Independent Commission addresses the President regarding amending the law on bonuses and salaries of members of the Legislative Council, the government and governors

Ramallah - Ma'an - The Independent Commission for Human Rights (Board of Grievances) addressed President Mahmoud Abbas, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization and President of the State of Palestine, regarding Law No. (08) of 2024 amending the Law on Remuneration and Salaries of Members of the Legislative Council, Members of the Government and Governors No. (11) of 2004 and its amendments. The Independent Commission called on the President to order the immediate cancellation of the above decision, as it grants more retirement privileges to senior employees (those with the rank of minister) at the expense of the retirement rights of the rest of the employees and without them paying the legal contributions, at this particular time, which is absolutely inconsistent with the principles of good governance, nor the President's declared reform orientations, nor with the Cabinet's plan to rationalize expenditures. The Authority called in its address to form a committee from th e relevant authorities to review the issue of the rights and privileges of senior employees, ministers and those in their position, and to propose the necessary amendments to achieve justice for all according to the financial capabilities of the State of Palestine, especially since this decision-law was not subject to any consultations with the relevant official authorities or civil institutions before its issuance, and later its publication, nor was a study conducted to measure its legislative, economic, social and financial impact, which are necessary and assumed procedures when issuing laws that burden the public treasury and the pension fund with more financial burdens. The addressee explained that if there is a need to equate those with the rank of minister with ministers and those in their position, it is necessary to review the retirement privileges of ministers, which have become a burden on the public treasury, which is expected to increase in the coming years, due to the Israeli occupation's piracy of clearing funds, and the well-known financial crisis of the General Retirement Fund, especially since it is not clear the size of the financial burdens resulting from this decision-law, the number of beneficiaries, its retroactive effect, and its impact on the contributions made by those addressed by this decision-law to the Retirement Authority, which is confirmed by many independent economic and financial opinions. Source: Maan News Agency