The Legislative Assembly will cut a total of ¢5,500 million in what’s left of this year and 2019. The agreement was made by the Legislative Board, as announced on Thursday by the president of the Congress, Carolina Hidalgo.
Of the total, ¢3 billion will be deducted from the budget that is being executed and another ¢2.5 billion from the spending plan for 2019.
The items that will be deducted from the budget in execution are extraordinary time, transportation abroad, travel expenses abroad, protocol activities, food and beverages, and training.
In next year’s budget, expenses will be reduced by 30% in foreign travel and per diem expenses, protocol and social activities, food and beverages. In the case of overtime payment, the cut will be 16%.
The Board also decided on the following measures:
-Limit departure and return times for short services and tours from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
-Restrict the number of car services by legislator to two communal tours per month. This, in order to prevent a small group of legislators from monopolizing the transport service.
-The independence of the Transportation Unit is guaranteed in the assignment of the roles of the drivers for the tours.
-Board members stated that the decision is part of the commitment to contain public spending.