Over half million in expense allowances paid out by Riigikogu
In the first six months of 2018, the Chancellery of the Riigikogu has paid out a total of €527,483 in expense allowances to MPs, daily Postimees reports.
Seven MPs have maxed out their expense allowance of €6,226.98 for the year already: Cente Party members Märt Sults and Erki Savisaar, independents Marko Mihkelson and Olga Ivanova, Social Democratic Party (SDE) member Barbi Pilvre, Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE) member Henn Põlluaas and Reform Party member Igor Gräzin, who has since become MEP.
According to the paper, the top twenty spenders include representatives of all parliamenary groups, with the highest number of Centre members, closely followed by Reform, independents and EKRE.
Unusual expenses
As is often the case, some of the compensated expenses have been on the unusual side.
Centre MP Märt Sults, for example, was compensated for the purchase of two ukuleles from a musical instrument store in Tallinn — Sults explained that the expense was related to job duties, Postimees wrote.
SDE MP Barbi Pilvre, meanwhile, was compensated for the purchase of a number of newspapers and magazines from an R-Kiosk convenience store, which included Vikerkaar, Sirp and Kroonika, but also Buduaar Shopping and Iluguru.
EKRE MP Henn Põlluaas had the Chancellery of the Riigikogu compensate him for a tailcoat rental on the occasion of the Estonian centennial.
Reform MP Arto Aas, meanwhile, attended an executive education course at Estonian Business School lasting from March through June for which he was compensated €2,400.
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Editor: Aili Vahtla