The Balearic Government will apply a hidden salary increase for councilors and senior officials in 2025. It will do so by means of amendments introduced by the Popular Group in the autonomic Budgets. These measures will allow councilors and senior officials to increase their income through three different ways and comes after last year the Executive approved a salary increase of 7.5%, much higher than that of civil servants and after years of losing purchasing power: allowances to non-deputy councilors of the Parliament, allowances for attending boards of directors and increase in rental subsidies for senior officials who do not reside in Mallorca, according to Ultima Hora.
Per diems for attendance to Parliament
One of the measures that the PP intends to introduce in the parliamentary process for the approval of the budgets is that the councilors who are not deputies may receive allowances from the Parliament for attendance at plenary sessions and commissions. These allowances, until now exclusive for the deputies who do not receive exclusive dedication nor a globalized allowance, can mean a salary increase of up to 1,632 euros gross per month during the nine months that plenary sessions are held, which is equivalent to an additional 14,688 euros per year. This measure does not affect the president of the Govern, Marga Prohens, nor the two other ministers who are already deputies, Antoni Costa and Alejandro Saenz de San Pedro, who already receive these allowances. The Parliament pays 268.31 euros for attendance to the plenary and 140.91 for attendance to commissions.
Per diems for participation in public companies
Another PP amendment eliminates Article 18 of the Budget Law, which prevents ministers and senior officials from receiving allowances for attending boards of directors of public companies. This prohibition was introduced last year after an amendment promoted by the opposition with the support of Vox. Now, if the PP amendment is approved, these senior officials will be able to receive additional income for such participation, although the exact amount of these per diems has not been specified and usually varies depending on the body.
Increase in the insularity bonus
The third measure benefits senior officials residing outside Mallorca but working in Mallorca. Currently, they receive an annual bonus of 18,000 euros which includes rent, travel and per diem expenses. With the amendments, this amount will be increased to 22,000 euros per year, with a breakdown of 16,000 euros for rent compared to the current 12,000 euros and travel, and 6,000 euros for per diems. These expenses must be justified. The amount fixed by the PP is the amount historically received by senior officials from outside Mallorca.
