Less privileges for public spenders

TIRANA, Aug 31 – Prime Minister Sali Berisha said that the government was planning to cut expenditures by slashing public transport privileges for bureaucrats and legislators by 15 million Euros.
A proposed bill would dramatically reduce the number of drivers and cars provided to heads of state agencies, state-owned companies and legislators.
“Our valuations have shown that we spend around US$19,000 a year on transportation costs for a director, which includes salaries for drivers, car purchases and maintenance,” said Berisha. “Our goal is two cut these costs by two thirds,” he added.
The Albanian premier said that transportation benefits for MPs will be transformed into a monthly bonus, adding that Albanian taxpayers were paying thrice as much as Swedes for their legislators’ transportation allowances.
The global economic crisis has caused a major reduction in state revenues, forcing the government into belt-tightening moves.
It should also be noted that is not the first time that Berisha is trying to do that. He also said the same thing four years ago upon resuming the powers. But soon that was forgotten.
To become law, this legislation needs three-fifth of the parliament’s 140 seats, or 83 votes. That means that the opposition lawmakers should also okay such a move.
If not, Berisha may continue to play well his political game blaming the Socialists for not taking the country out of steps towards a crisis that has engulfed the world, but, as he says, has not touched this country yet.
The new Albanian deputies that secured seats after the June’s election will be stripped of their right to have official cars and drivers at their disposal.
The Albanian government’s decision will take effect once the motion passes in a rushed parliamentary procedure in September, as part of the new legislation regulating the transport of the deputies.