An increase in the budget for pre-election remuneration of officials who will work on the preparation and conduct of elections. parliamentary elections on 21 May, provides for an amendment that was submitted yesterday. In particular, if the maximum estimated cost of paying compensation for elections to everyone except the police in the 2019 elections, as provided for by the amendment, was 50 million euros, then in these elections officials who will work will receive a total of up to 62 million euros .

An increase in funds related to the payment of compensation to police officers and civil protection services is also expected.

In the parliamentary elections of 2019, the corresponding maximum fund was 10 million euros, and now it is increasing to 15 million euros. In essence, the money that will be received by those who will work for the elections this time, as provided for in the amendment, will not be taxed and will not be subject to the legal deductions provided for in the state payroll. Evidence shows, however, that election costs can skyrocket if high electoral compensation is paid or money is given to officials with little influence on the electoral process.

Sources in the Ministry of Internal Affairs told “K” that the increase in funds provided for electoral compensation included in the amendment was necessary in view of the fact that in these elections practically many countries of the world will create “electoral districts” due to the participation of Greeks abroad from their place of residence. More than 26,000 Greeks living abroad are expected to vote for the country they live in, according to the respective platform. How the voting will take place and the need for officials to travel abroad has not yet been specified.

It is worth noting that the increase in funds is provided for each election campaign that follows the municipal elections in the fall, as well as the European elections to be held in 2024. decision, which is supposed to be issued after the official announcement of the elections and shortly before they are held.

Additional polling stations to be set up overseas add to the cost, Interior Ministry sources say.

Before the crisis…

Electoral compensation, which before the financial crisis was generously distributed as a pre-election allowance to civil servants, even to many who had nothing to do with the electoral process, gradually decreased.

It is estimated that in the 2009 parliamentary elections, more than 160,000 employees (Ministry of the Interior, court officials, municipal officials, security forces, etc.) received the electoral allowance. Characteristically, in the local elections held in 2010, the electoral allowance was reduced by 20%, and the number of officials receiving it was also reduced in an attempt to limit the cost of elections.

This was followed by a significant reduction in electoral spending and, mainly, electoral compensation, which constitutes the largest part of them. In the parliamentary elections of 2012, it is estimated that the costs of the state for their conduct reached 60 million euros. These include all other expenses, except for compensation (delivery of curtains and screens, etc.), which are calculated on an accrual basis as 1/6 of the total cost. Parliamentary elections in January 2015 are estimated at 55 million euros, in September 2015 at 33 million euros, and the referendum reached 27 million euros. Three electoral competitions held in 2019 – national, municipal and European – are estimated at 150 million euros.

The largest electoral compensation fund relates to members of the judiciary who work in elections and who also usually need to travel (post) but also stay for a few days in the places they have assigned. The number of police officers who will work in the elections is also large.

Some Interior Ministry officials are usually highly compensated – in the previous parliamentary elections it was 2,400 euros – given that they work overtime for a long period of time in preparation for the elections. Those who receive proportionately small compensation over time are municipal employees, which always causes friction with the respective government.