The national government has suspended the hiring of officials and reduced travel costs to reduce the budget deficit

The measure was published in the Official Journal and includes a reduction in the fleet of cars at the end of the year. use of officials. They aim to save $ 20,000 million.

In a sign of austerity, the government ordered the freeze on the incorporation of public sector employees until the end of 2019, in addition to reducing travel costs and reducing the fleet of official vehicles. The measure was published in the Official Journal, through Decree 632/2018, and is part of the executive plan to reduce the budget deficit, as required by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). grant the US $ 50,000 loan. millions in Argentina. With these measures, the government hopes to save $ 20 billion, although it is comparatively small in relation to the adjustment required to comply with the program signed with the international organization.

The decree, signed by President Mauricio Macri, excludes the Federal Revenue Administration (AFIP), the Prison Service, the Federal Intelligence Agency (AFI), national universities, the armed forces and Security The document states that the remaining agencies "will not be able to make new appointments or hire staff of any kind or source of budgetary or non-budgetary funding until 31 December 2019."

The organizations covered by the Order in Council must submit to the Department of Modernization a report on the cost of extraordinary services, mobility expenses, reimbursement of food expenses and per diems, with a view to reducing 30% these items for the remainder of the current fiscal year. "In the context of a policy of austerity and cost reduction in the national public administration, it is essential to adopt certain measures with the clear aim of reducing public expenditure", indicates the text.

Dependent agencies of the Executive shall communicate to the Chief of Staff the planning of travel, travel and travel expenses resulting from the performance of missions or official commissions abroad or the use of scholarships. They should also provide for a 30% reduction in these concepts.

Only senior officials may use executive clbad pbades, with the prior approval of the Cabinet. "In the case of the transfer of officials having the rank of secretary, only executive clbad tickets may be used for journeys of more than 8 hours and must be previously authorized by the owner of the jurisdiction or entity for which they are depend on, "says the decree.

The adjustment of expenses in the public accounts includes the fleet of official cars. The State Property Administration Agency (AABE) releases the vehicles available for the transfer of officials or the operational use of each area and makes a report on the necessary arrangements for each agency, "for purposes of their subsequent transfer or disposal according to the criteria of reasonableness and austerity."

In addition, they will examine the structures of decentralized entities (PAMI, Anses, Enargas, among others) that could result in savings of 25% for the budget allocated to these agencies. While SOEs must inform their staffing planning for next year and they will reduce allocated funds by 15%, with the goal of achieving an operational balance by 2019. [19659004] In the decree, the executive authority calls on the judiciary, the legislature, the provinces and the government of Buenos Aires to take similar measures to help reduce the budget deficit. The text bears the signature of Macri, Chief of Staff Marcos Peña and Ministers Andrés Ibarra (Modernization) and Nicolás Dujovne (Treasury and Finance).

TN