VALENCIA'S ex-mayoress Rita Barberá has multiplied her salary by nearly a third as a result of leaving the PP party but hanging onto her Senator's seat.
After the Supreme Court confirmed on Tuesday that she was under investigation for alleged money laundering and accepting bribes to finance the PP's electoral campaign last spring, Rita agreed to resign from the right-wing party at the request of its top-ranking national government members.
But she refused to give up her seat in the Senate, which 'travels' with the person and not the party, and means she will continue in the role as a non-affiliated Senator.
Cynics initially believed she wanted to hang onto the Senate because it would ensure her continued diplomatic immunity, whereby any legal case against her goes straight to the Supreme Court, leapfrogging the lower tribunals.
But it has since been revealed she will earn an extra €2,321 per month as a Senator not linked to a political party.
Already, Rita earns €2,813 as a wage from the Senate plus a further €1,822 as a 'local allowance' because her main residence is not in Madrid, where the role is based – a total of €4,635 a month.
Once her resignation from the PP, of which she was a founder member until she resigned on Wednesday, is complete, her monthly pay will go up to €6,956.
This is because the Senate groups are given an allowance which is split between members, and which some decide to use for personnel such as secretaries or consultants, but which does not have to be justified.
The non-affiliated group, which has 16 members, earns €39,470 for its place in the Senate and, once Rita moves across to it from the PP, will have 17 members.
And Rita will be entitled to one-17th of this €39,470 for 'expenses' which do not require receipts, authorisation or any form of record.
Senators do not even have to pay their own transport for official journeys made as part of their role – their train, bus, boat or plane tickets are picked up by Parliament.
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