Clarifications from the Ministry of Finance
The allowance for employment of a private secretary to former Presidents of the Republic and former Presidents of the Parliament is legal and the refund of any amount given is not eligible, according to the Ministry of Finance.
In its announcement, the Ministry responds to a publication of the newspaper Politis, which referred to data resulting from an audit by the Audit Service on the matter.
It clarifies that the above allowance is granted based on the Provision of Certain Benefits to Designated Beneficiaries of the State Sector and the Wider Public Sector (Terms and Procedure) Law of 2014 (L. 3(I)/2014).
“Based on the legislation in question, the above former officials are granted an allowance for the employment of a private secretary, the amount of which is determined in the legislation, or the right to use the services of a civil servant for this purpose, according to special arrangements,” it states.< /p>
It is added that the five former officials have chosen to be provided with an allowance for the employment of a private secretary, which is granted to them after a relevant letter they submit to the Ministry of Finance, in which they confirm the employment of a private secretary by declaring the individual's details who employ.
The issue of amending the allowance in question, so that it equals the actual earnings (now employer contributions), of the people employed by the above former officials, was also raised in the past on the basis of a relevant audit, notes the Ministry.
As he mentions, the then Minister of Finance had informed the Council of Ministers on the matter, asking for the House's opinion. In a relevant Decision of the Council of Ministers, dated October 3, 2018, it was decided to continue the same practice for the payment of benefits and other allowances to the officials in question.
“In view of the above, the Ministry of Finance, acting on the basis of the current legislative framework and the relevant Decisions of the Council of Ministers, must continue the payment of the allowance in question on the same basis as it was paid until today and the return of any allowance from the said former officials to the State is not qualified”, is noted.
