Public sector seeing salary delays

TIRANA, Jan 9 – Salaries of the public administration have been delayed for more than a week, with authorities explaining that the delay was technical and related to the holiday season.
Authorities say they are doing the proper procedures to process the money but they are still not in the hands of about 100,000 thousand public employees and about half a million pensioners. All of them are expecting to get the money this week.
The economy and finances will be the main concern for the new government this year. The government is trying to cope with a big budget deficit they say was caused by the previous cabinet. They are also to pay hundreds of millions of delayed funds to private companies.
Authorities have reached a deal with the International Monetary Fund for a soft loan to cope with that problem. It is expected to be passed by the IMF’s executive board in the first meeting this year.