And that's not all. We only asked for those contracts valued at over 7.500 euros. The huge pile of documentation reveals that many ministries have a different understanding for the word austerity.
The record holder is the Ministry of Infrastructure. Contracts with independent contractors cost the ministry 66 million 620 thousand euros last year. The Ministry of Health spent 20,7 million euros on outside contractors. The Ministry of Agriculture spent 17 million euros, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spent 6 million euros.
And what hides in that 133 million heavy bag? Where does all that money go? Tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of euros were most likely spent purposefully. For example on legal advice for taking out loans and also for the trial taking place at the Court of Arbitration. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs spent more than one million euros for legal aid for the trial. The maintenance of software, renewing licenses and upgrading information systems also costs something. The Financial Administration and the Centers for Social Services also replaced their old computers, which were more than seven years old. Then we have the costs for electricity, insurance, medical check-ups, cleaning costs, clean-up road efforts after natural disasters, the maintenance of bridges, publishing papers and postal services. To sum it up: it’s all essential. But can't it go any cheaper? The only ones who know are those signing the contracts.
Prestigious renovation work and lunches
However some of the costs catch the eye. Like for example the money spent by the Secretariat-General of the Government for the Zlatorog Villa. Despite all the government instructions for the necessity of cutting costs, the villa's new kitchen, interior furnishings, bathroom, upholstered furniture, curtains and all the documentation for the arrangement of the villa's outdoor area, cost more than 152 thousand euros.
Moving along we have the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - the renovation of the embassy in Moscow cost 171 thousand euros. Maintenance costs for the Jablje Castle stood at 105 thousand euros. Taking a look at the Ministry of Education - it paid 12 thousand euros to Mercator for a presentation. The same ministry paid 6.200 euros for a dinner and three lunches for 50 people. It also paid 24.000 euros for marking the buildings in which Slovenia's athletes stayed at the Winter Olympics in Sochi....
In short: In the 133 million euro bag, used for paying the costs of independent contractors (and we're only talking about those contracts that exceeded 7.500 euros), some of the expenses were surely too high or not even necessary. Why? Because we're in a crisis.
