Gov’t reins in spending of regions
The government has called on regional authorities to reduce their operating expenses and the money they spend on overtime ahead of the drafting of the 2015 state budget, while adding that investments in road networks will be 73.36 percent higher next year than in 2012.
The circular, issued on Wednesday and signed by Interior Minister Argyris Dinopoulos and Alternate Finance Minister Christos Staikouras, dictates that the amount of funding put aside for student transport in remote parts of the country will be reduced by 6.25 percent from that spent in the 2013-14 school year. If a regional authority deems that it will need more money to provide this service, it will have to cover the difference itself through other revenues.
Regional authorities will also need to match or even reduce this year’s spending on transportation, procurements, telephone calls, electricity consumption and public relations, participating in and organizing exhibitions, co-hosting events, printing and publications, supporting organizations, etc.
Meanwhile, any spending on staff hirings, either on time-specific or project-specific contracts, will require central authorization.
