Extent of benefits enjoyed by retiring public servants revealed

As Hungarians continue to keep a close eye on where their taxes go, newspapers will continue to write headlines like the above. But although public dignitaries in Hungary are entitled to benefits long after their service in office ends, the cost is small beer in the grand scheme of corruption and misappropriation of government funds. But here goes with some examples of after-work perks as published by index.hu: Outgoing House Speaker Katalin Szili can continue using a car and driver for up to 30,000 kilometers a year until 2017 and keep two administrative staff until 2013 at a cost of Ft 800,000 to Ft 1 million (€2,900 to €3,700) per year. Former Prime Minsiter Ferenc Gyurcsány, who was in office from September 2004 until April 2009, is entitled to use his car and driver at a cost of Ft 4.5 million to Ft 5.5 million per year until November 2013 and administrative staff until July 2011. Outgoing public dignitaries, such as the head of the Supreme Court, are also entitled to several months worth of honorary fee (tiszteletdíj), depending on a number of factors. Szili will be entitled to three months fee, a total of Ft 4.5 million, Gyurcsány received six months worth of his fee, Ft 9,044,400 (which he gave to charity), while former state presidents Árpád Göncz and Ferenc Mádl are entitled to their monthly fee of Ft 1.5 million as long as they live. Sure, Hungarians would be happier to pay if they saw their politicians actually, you know, doing some work while the country spiralled into bankruptcy, but hey, a couple of Audis here or there won’t make much difference.