At least 1.148.508 euros could be allocated annually from the pockets of the citizens of Montenegro for the gross salaries of the vice president, ministers, state secretaries and other employees in newly formed cabinets in the reconstructed Government Milojko Spajić, the "Vijesti" analysis shows.
That number refers only to the gross earnings of nine newly created positions of vice presidents and ministers, 12 state secretaries more than their previous number, as well as nine heads of cabinet and at least as many advisers, secretaries and drivers, who most likely have to be employed. In addition, the problem of accommodation for those who do not live in Podgorica, as well as premises for new ministries, will have to be solved, which does not exclude the renting of space that is not state-owned, and therefore no new costs.
This is the minimum number of people who must be employed in newly formed cabinets, and it is certain that there will be more of them. However, it is possible for someone who is employed in state bodies to move to work in the cabinets of new people in the executive branch.
About 67.860 euros could be allocated per month, and 814.320 euros per year, for the minimum of new net wages in the Government. "Vijesti" used last year's salary of a middle-aged member of the Government of 1.800 euros as a sample salary for vice presidents and ministers, in order to eliminate the supplement for past seniority, for state secretaries a salary similar to that of the current other people in the ministry of 1.500 euros, and for others who will be employees - the average salary in the state administration is 935 euros, according to the data of the Statistics Office (MONSTAT).
On top of that, according to Montenegrin laws, another 44,98 percent of taxes and contributions and other duties paid to the state, union, etc., up to the amount of gross salary of 2.413 euros, were calculated for the vice presidents and ministers. Duties on the projected salaries of state secretaries amount to 42,63 percent, for a gross salary of 1.981 euros, and duties for others (chiefs of cabinet, advisers, secretaries and drivers) are 34,12 percent, for a gross salary of 1.395 euros.
This means that at least 21.717 euros could be set aside for the gross salaries of the new vice-presidents and ministers, 12 euros for the 23.772 state secretaries, and 50.220 euros for the new cabinet chiefs, advisers, secretaries and drivers. It is a total of 95.709 euros per month, and 1.148.508 euros per year.
The Ministry of Finance told "Vijesta" in response to the questions of how much the additional monthly cost in the budget will be due to the reconstruction of the Government, what the additional cost will be for salaries, how many new employees there will be and whether there will be a need to rent space, they said that in the process of drafting amendments to the law on the budget, which will take into account changes to the organizational structure, in accordance with the new organization of the Government, reclassification of funds within the capital budget with the aim of more efficient utilization, in accordance with the dynamics of project implementation, as well as other aspects of harmonizing spending with the needs expressed so far.
"Given that the document is still under construction, we will talk about the precise financial statement when the draft budget changes are sent to the Government for further decision, which is planned to be as soon as possible, and the public will also be informed about it in a timely manner. We would like to point out that the state treasury is stable, that all obligations are regularly serviced and that this will continue in the coming period," said the department headed by Novica Vuković.
The government was reconstructed six days ago, and it includes five new ministries, three new vice presidents and a minister without a portfolio.
The newly formed Ministry of Social Welfare, Family Care and Demography will be managed by Bosniak Party (BS) personnel. Damir Gutic, the Ministry of Regional-Investment Development and Cooperation with Non-Governmental Organizations, which will also be headed by BS staff Ernad Suljević. The Ministry of Mining, Oil and Gas, which will be managed, has also been newly formed Admir Šahmanović (BS), Ministry of Diaspora, which he will manage Mirsad Azemović (BS) and the Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Development of the North, which he will head Damjan Ćulafić (Democrats).
The position of Deputy Prime Minister for Foreign and European Affairs was also newly established, which will be covered by the current Minister of Foreign Affairs Filip Ivanovic, vice president for infrastructure and regional development, which he will manage Milun Zogović from the Democratic People's Party (DNP), and vice president for education, science and relations with religious communities, which he will perform Budimir Aleksic from New Serbian Democracy (NSD).
The position of minister without portfolio, which he holds, is also new Milutin Buturović (Pokret Evropa sad - PES)
One of the new positions - vice president for international relations, is the minister of foreign affairs Ervin Ibrahimovic (BS), but it is unclear whether he will have a separate cabinet in the vice-presidential position. The Minister of Sports had that Dragoslav Šcekić, while until recently he was vice president for demography and youth.
The reconstructed government includes the prime minister, seven vice presidents, 25 portfolios and a minister without portfolio. Part of the department was created by the division of ministries, which means that those who were employed in the "unified" ministries will move to the newly formed ones. It will be the same with the Ministry for Diaspora, which is created by the transformation of the Administration for Diaspora.
Executive Director of the Center for Democratic Transition (CDT) Dragan Koprivica, said last week that after the reconstruction of the Government, it is completely clear that political interests and trade have again, "this time perhaps most visibly so far, overrun the public interest".
"Not even much richer countries can support this many departments, and the division of the spoils by depth is still expected," Koprivica pointed out.
Last week, the government adopted an amendment to the Regulation on the Organization and Mode of Operation of the State Administration, which creates new ministries.
"The decree prescribes a deadline of 30 days for the adoption of a rulebook on the internal organization and systematization of state administration bodies, as well as the taking over of civil servants and employees who performed the assumed tasks, equipment and official documentation, on the day the decree comes into force", the Government announced.
A decision was also made to determine the ministries that can have state secretaries, of which there could be a maximum of 54.
"... This Decision opens up the possibility that three ministries can have one state secretary each, fifteen ministries each have two state secretaries, and seven have three state secretaries appointed by the Government, at the proposal of the minister", the Government announced.
According to Article 30 of the Law on State Administration, the Ministry can have a maximum of three State Secretaries who are responsible for their work to the Minister and the Government.
When the ministry has three state secretaries, the minister authorizes one of them to replace him in the event that he is prevented from performing his function, within the scope of the given powers. The State Secretary is appointed and dismissed by the Government, at the proposal of the Minister, without a public competition, and his duty ends when the Minister's mandate ends.
The Ministry also has a secretary, who is appointed by the Government for five years, at the proposal of the Minister, in accordance with the law regulating the rights, obligations and responsibilities of civil servants and state employees. The secretary reports to the minister for his work.
"The reconstructed Government will eat the country"
Part of the parties strongly criticized the entry of BS into the executive power, referring to the financial consequences that this will produce.
The General Secretary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adis Balota, announced that in November the deadline for BS officials, who were in the previous government, to receive a one-year allowance upon termination of state office, "so it is necessary for people to get a job".
"BS can represent 21.423 voters and no one more. The thesis that BS represents the national interests of Bosniaks is manipulative and harmful. BS becomes a puppet of the DF (Democratic Front), and a coalition partner of Marko Kovačević and Dario Vraneš. BS chose that between the mothers of Srebrnica and Andrija Mandić, to bow to Montenegro Milorad Dodik", says Balota.
The vice-president of the Liberal Party (LP), Amar Borančić, announced that the reconstructed Government "will eat the country, which is not remembered in modern political history, not only in Montenegro, but also in the great countries of Europe and the world".
"With the accumulation of the administration, which is already about to burst, fictitious departments and ministries for 'breaking leisure', the state apparatus groans and strains from this unprincipled 'spoils distribution' until the first opportunity when it will give way. Unfortunately, BS is now an accomplice in the collapse of state institutions and its economy, which inevitably awaits us", he said.
Ten seats for PES, six for Democrats, five for BS and former DF...
The reconstructed government includes the prime minister, 25 ministers and seven vice presidents, two of whom are ministers at the same time.
When it comes to the parties with the most members of the Government, PES leads the way with 10 members and a prime minister. It is followed by Democratic Montenegro, which has six members in the Government, the coalition of the parties of the former DF and BS with five each, the Albanian Forum and the Socialist People's Party (SNP) with two each and the Albanian Alliance with one representative.
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