The scandal can continue, even the new government can have 80 deputy ministers

The government led by Ramush Haradinaj, who has already resigned from the prime minister's post, was mostly the minister of all post-war governments.

The outgoing cabinet had 21 ministries, five deputy prime ministers and over 80 deputy ministers, all of whom have employees with large numbers of their political advisers, drivers and other employees.

This government, which increased the number of ministries, created a bill aimed at reducing them. However, Haradinaj resigned and the bill has remained only on paper and has not been prosecuted.

According to Besnik Tahiri, chairman of the Commission for drafting the bill, everything is ready and only must be prosecuted for the vote. Tahiri told Radio Free Europe, there must be political will from the future executive, which this bill will be adopted.

“The law is complete, the law is ready and the work process is all documented in the report. It is only the political will that we have had, and I hope if we come and pass quickly, if not, there is someone else, then there will be the will to be pushed forward”, Tahiri said.

According to Tahiri, who during this government was also the Nacional Co-ordinator for State Reform, the bill envisions reducing ministries.

What we have is that we have seen that somewhere 10 or 11 ministries should have each state and then on it, build on the basis of specifics. We have done this and we have come to the number 15 of ministries, as we have correctly defined, no ministry can have more than two deputy ministers, and (the government) two deputy prime minister”, Tahiri said.

Kosovo government bigger than Germany's

Slovenia's government, with two million inhabitants, has 16 ministries, Estonia's 15 and the state with the strongest economy in Europe, Germany, has a total of 14 ministries.

According to official data from the Kosovo Statistics Agency, the average salary in the private sector in Kosovo is 384 euros, while in the public sector the average salary is around 500 euros.

The Kosovo prime minister's salary is 2,950 euros, while the deputy prime minister's 2,500 euros. Ministers in Kosovo receive 2 thousand euros, while a deputy minister is paid 1,150 euros. These salaries do not include other expenses as they are; advisers, cars, drivers, administrative assistants, telephones, and many other expenses.

Invention of positions multiplies employment needs in institutions

Civil society representatives estimate that the future government, however, should reduce the number of ministries.

They say the large number of ministries and deputy ministers has been made to meet the demands of large and small parties in the government coalition to have their presence in the government.

Artan Murati from the Kosovo Democratic Institute told Radio Free Europe that this bill is more than necessary for normal executive functioning.

Murati said that so far each government that has come to power has had the tendency of degradation in terms of the number of ministries, then continued increase in the number of deputy ministers.

This, according to Murati, presents other problems, such as the financial issue, as this is a huge cost to Kosovo citizens.

The Haradinaj government was actually the largest of all the governments we had. I'm hoping the next government will take concrete steps not to allow us to have such a large cabinet and must proceed with the government bill as soon as possible. The point is that the political subjects in large measure have even now sought such a bill, but how they should behave differently when the subjects come to power”, Murati said.

Ministers receive salaries even after mandate ends

Valmir Ismaili from the Democracy Plus organisation told Radio Free Europe that Kosovo does not need more than 12 to 15 ministries.

But, according to him, it depends greatly on the will of political parties, as well as the outcome of the elections, and how big the pre-election coalition will win elections and then make Government.

Ismaili said the draft law on Government, more is a farce, as according to him, the number of ministries cannot be regulated by law.

“In fact, the Haradinaj government would have to create an example itself and have a small government, and then perhaps that would have to be changed with the Constitutions, because otherwise it cannot be currently regulated by particular law. Neither does the Constitution of any other law prohibit a government from being smaller in the number”, Ismaili said.

Ministers, as well as more than 80 deputy ministers of the Haradinaj government, will continue to receive 70% of the salary from the state budget and six months after the mandate ends.