Monti applies austerity to premier's office, Economy Min
No unnecessary conferences, ban on accepting valuable gifts
09 February, 12:57
(see related story on Monti)
(ANSA) - Rome, February 9 - Premier Mario Monti has taken
his austerity drive to the government departments he is directly
responsible for, with a ban on all expenditure that is "not
indispensable or directly and immediately connected to public
objectives".The new policy will mean, among other things, an end to all conferences, meetings and inaugurations unless they are considered absolutely necessary.
Monti has also told staff to strictly apply a code of conduct that forbids them from accepting gifts worth more than 150 euros.
The measures apply to the premier's office and the economy ministry.
Former European commissioner Monti is economy minister as well as premier in the emergency government of non-political technocrats that took over after the financial crisis forced Silvio Berlusconi to quit as premier in November.
Brochure: 
