Politicians skim off the top

This is how much our EU politicians earn in Brussels

Austria's EU veteran Othmar Karas is retiring from politics (at least for the time being). He is also entitled to a high EU pension for his many years of work in Brussels. However, you are already entitled to a pension after the first completed year of work.(Bild: AFP)

A new EU Parliament will be elected on June 9. Although many parties have received prominent rejections for their lists, the "political seats" in Brussels are highly coveted. High salaries, allowances and pensions make the job even more attractive. The "Krone" looked at who could get how much "retirement pay". 

"If you have a grandpa, send him to Europe," is an old but still relevant saying about politicians who are winding down their careers in the EU this fall. Since Austria's accession on January 1, 1995, mandataries have been sent to various offices in Brussels and Strasbourg. Traditionally, however, it is not only the average age of the red-white-red parliamentarians that is high, but also their entitlement to salaries, allowances and pension payments.