At a time when citizens are protesting the corruption of this government, Edi Rama has found the time to draft a new manual on how the administration will travel abroad with state budget funds. The decision approved by the government does not impose restrictions on trips. On the contrary, it defines in detail how they will be organized, who will authorize them, in which hotels officials will be accommodated, how much per diem they will receive and which expenses will be paid with taxpayers’ money.
From ministers and heads of institutions, to external advisors, the central administration, municipalities and independent institutions, everyone will benefit from the new financial scheme whenever they leave for conferences, working meetings or trainings outside Albania. One of the most striking points is accommodation. The decision authorizes officials of the highest categories to be accommodated in hotels up to five stars, while other categories in four or three star hotels. The document even provides that, in special cases, a hotel with a higher classification can be booked, if it turns out to be more economical or if the reservation is made by the organizers of the activity. But the hotel is only part of the bill.
The government will pay for round-trip airfare, transportation to and from the airport, travel between cities in the host country, road tolls, health insurance, visas, and any other obligations required by the host country. In addition, employees will receive daily food allowances, determined according to the country they travel to and the function they hold. For short-term training, a fixed allowance of 40 euros or dollars per day has been established, in cases where food is not covered by the organizers.
Another innovation is that each institution will have to draft a program at the beginning of the year with all the international activities in which it plans to participate. The program will be approved by the head of the institution and can be changed during the year, if the need for other trips arises. Employees will no longer wait for their return to receive the money. The decision provides that they will receive funds for travel expenses in advance in their bank account, while upon their return, the institution’s finance department will make the final reconciliation.
If less is spent, the difference is returned to the Treasury; if more is spent, the institution makes the reimbursement. The document also defines the cases when the expenses are covered by the organizers of the activity. If the host party pays everything, the Albanian institution makes no payment.
If it covers only part of the costs, the state pays the difference. The government presents the decision as a way to increase financial discipline and planning of official trips. However, the act does not set limits on the number of delegations or on the funds that will be used for trips abroad. It simply defines more clearly how every plane ticket, every hotel night, every meal and every other expense will be paid for, all with funds from the state budget.