With government reductions in budget will save around 15.5m euros

With the government's reduction under the election promises of the Vetevendosje Movement and the Democratic League of Kosovo, which are expected to reach the ruling coalition, the GAP Institute says Kosovo's budget will be spared about 15.5m euros for a governing mandate.

Blend Haysa, researcher at the GAP Institute, says that according to administrative guidelines 04/2008 and 012008 deputy prime ministers, ministers, deputy ministers, political advisers and cabinet chiefs, other than the monthly salary enjoy additional benefits, with a set sum covered for expenses, lunches and mobile and fixed telephones.

According to him, from cutting the positions presented in the inforographics, food, fuel and telephone expenditures would be automatically reduced to about 3.4m euros in a mandate.

“With the reduction of the government by a possible coalition between the Vetevendosje Movement and the Democratic League of Kosovo, according to our calculations, the Kosovo state budget will be spared about 15.5m euros in a governing mandate. So from promises, which were given during the election campaign, that we will have reduced the number of ministries from 21 to 12, reducing the number of deputy prime ministers from 5 to 2, as well as reducing the number of deputy ministers from 80 to the previous government to the maximum of 24 or 2 deputy ministers for a minister... we think that saving Kosovo's state budget will be a lot with the minimum”, Hasa said.

The researcher at this institute has stressed that the cost for a ministry during a mandate is around 1m euros, including the position of minister, deputy minister and advisers.

In addition to the basic wage, which is enjoyed by a minister or a deputy minister and his cabinet, they enjoy several additional benefits related to residential spending, as well as other expenses for mobile and fixed phones and fuels. So if we put all these costs into one group and make an account, the cost for a ministry during a mandate is about 1m euros. So, we're just talking about the minister and his close cabinet, which includes deputy ministers and six other advisers, as well as a senior adviser”, says Hasey.

He added that V The V-LDK has promised to clear the positions of national co-ordinators, where in the past government there were four positions with similar salaries of ministers' position.

Similarly, it is expected that the number of deputy prime ministers' advisers will not be higher than those of the prime minister, and that it may happen that the deputy prime ministers hold ministerial positions, with a total of 12 such advisers.

Haysa also says that in addition to savings, a smaller government increases efficiency and coordination, shortens the timing of making decisions, increases citizens' trust, and creates clear addresses of responsibility.

Otherwise, on the basis of working groups from both parties, LVV and LDK have agreed that the future government will have no more than 12 ministries.