A proposal has been submitted to amend the law to reduce the state funds provided for former presidents’ office operations and to grant benefits to former vice presidents. These amendments were proposed on behalf of the government by Hulhudhoo constituency member Mohamed Shahid. Under the proposed amendments to the ‘Law on the Protection and Benefits Entitled to a Person Who Has Held the Office of President’, some benefits currently provided to former presidents are to be reduced. Specifically, an amendment has been proposed to the law to discontinue the monthly payment of MVR 175,000 provided by the state for former presidents’ office operations. Furthermore, it has also been stated that if a former president is elected for a second term, or appointed to any other state position, the benefits provided by law to that individual must be suspended for the duration of that term or appointment. Currently, the law stipulates that benefits are suspended only if a former president is elected for a second term.
In addition to altering the benefits for former presidents, the bill also includes provisions for granting benefits to individuals who have served as vice presidents. An estimate of the financial impact of these two changes has also been submitted. According to the estimate, if the funds for former presidents’ office operations are discontinued, MVR 10,500,000 will be saved next year. This is projected to reduce the MVR 19.7 million allocated for former presidents’ benefits in the upcoming year’s approved budget to MVR 10.2 million.
Additionally, it has been estimated that including benefits for former vice presidents would incur an expenditure of MVR 300,000 next year for their allowances, and MVR 700,000 for their medical expenses.
