Russia's 450 lower-house lawmakers will receive early bonuses averaging about 4.5 million rubles ($59,000) each ahead of September's parliamentary elections, with State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin reportedly saying the payments were intended to narrow a pay gap with government ministers.
The bonuses, totaling 2 billion rubles ($26.2 million), will be paid in early September before elections to the State Duma on Sept. 20, the Vedomosti newspaper reported Tuesday, citing a source familiar with a closed-door parliamentary meeting.
Volodin said the bonuses would be funded with savings from the lower house's budget and told lawmakers the money could also be used during their election campaigns, Vedomosti reported.
He also expressed frustration that details of the bonus payments had been leaked to the media, the newspaper said.
According to the Kommersant newspaper, Volodin told lawmakers their salaries no longer reflected their position in Russia's system of government, as they earn significantly less than cabinet ministers despite formally holding the same status.
