Public wages spending soars

Military, academic personnel
see highest increases

Total spending on public employees’ wages, compensations, and benefits reached $1.392 billion at end-June 2013, a nine percent increase compared to the same period last year. Salaries, compensations, and social benefits had the largest share of total preliminary expenditure (29 percent).

The Ministry of Finance said net salaries were up by 19 percent, and even reached 25 percent if we exclude exceptional and delayed payments. The Ministry also said the total number of employees in civil and educational institutions was up by one percent.

Salaries and wages of military personnel saw the highest increase, up by 22 percent. This increase was due to the cost of living and recruiting or promoting soldiers. On the other hand, social benefits slightly dropped.

Salaries of employees in the educational sector had also a high increase, up by 16 percent.

Transfers to the public workers cooperative fell by 22 percent ($20 million) due to cash flow management issues.