Argentine President Javier Millais gives a speech at the 54th World Economic Forum (WEF) held in Davos, Switzerland on January 17 (local time)./Reuters Yonhap News
Argentina’s President Javier Millais, who predicted a cut in government funding when he took office last year, saying, “There is no money in the country,” is causing controversy after revealing he increased the salaries of high-profile civil servants. status. , including himself, by 48%.
According to the Buenos Aires Herald on the 10th (local time), President Millay received a monthly salary of 6.02 million pesos (9.23 million earned) in February. This is an increase of 48% from the previous month’s monthly salary of 4.06 million pesos (about 6.24 million earned). This increase in salary is in accordance with the Presidential Decree on Salaries for Senior Administrative Civil Servants signed by President Millay on February 29.
The president’s self-salary increase was revealed at a time when controversy arose over a 30% increase in the salaries of members of the National Assembly. President Millay also ordered the annulment of the salary increase for members of the National Assembly, saying, “It is not appropriate when the people are suffering.”
Then, Victoria Tolosa Paz, former Minister of Social Development and current member of the House of Representatives, criticized the increase as a “double standard” and revealed the increase in the salary of senior administrative officials, including the President. He said, “The president is now lying to us by raising the banner of austerity,” and added, “We will soon introduce a bill to invalidate the increase in pay for high-ranking officials in the administration.”
President Millay placed the responsibility for the salary increase on the previous president. Cristina Fernandez (President 2007-2015, Vice President 2019-2023) explained that last month’s salary was automatically increased by a presidential decree signed in 2010 during the administration of the former President and that she was not aware of.
However, opposition lawmakers claim that this wage increase was applied by a presidential decree signed by President Millais in January and February. This is because the salaries of high-level administrative officials cannot be increased without his signature. The presidential decree published in the Official Gazette contained his signature as well as the signatures of Senior Minister Nicolas Fosse and Minister of Human Resources and Energy Sandra Petobello. Suddenly this gazette became unavailable to view on the government’s online system, raising suspicions that the government had deliberately hidden it.
As controversy arose, the Office of the President officially announced, “The salary increase for the President and senior administrative officials was repealed by repealing the presidential decree signed by former President Cristina Fernández for castas (established benefits, current politicians).”
President Millay is classified as a far right believer in a free economy. Since taking office as president, he has abolished the price suppression policy artificially implemented by the previous administration and is implementing a strong economic austerity policy to balance the government’s finances.
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