Romanian Authorities Spent Up To EUR10,000 On Cell Phones, Pens, Paper Clips Last Year

Of the total sum earmarked for acquisitions, EUR121.6 million were spent on furniture, air conditioning, printers, computers, video surveillance systems, servers and other communications equipment, while EUR15.3 million were spent on cars and other vehicles, according to MEDIAFAX' calculations.

In 2007, public authorities and state-owned companies paid EUR50 million on cars and computers and acquisitions topped EUR500 million in 2008.

State owned gas producer Romgaz paid 9.3 million lei (EUR1=RON4.1167) and EUR1.39 million for tractors, buses and special vehicles last year and bought a Volkswagen Passat for EUR44,779.

The Finance Ministry, which also made acquisitions on behalf of other public authorities, spent EUR3.1 million in 2009.

The Bucharest public road transport authority RATB paid EUR1.2 million for special vehicles and the Emergency Inspectorate bought vehicles for RON9.5 million. Other institutions that bought vehicles last year are the Tourism Ministry, Interior Ministry, the Foreign Intelligence Service, the central bank, Bucharest's international airports Baneasa and Otopeni, the telecom watchdog, power plant Turceni and hydropower plant Hidroelectrica.

Beside vehicles, public authorities and state-owned companies bought communications equipment, laptops, TV-sets, LCD computer screens, servers, air conditioning, furniture, photo and video cameras, laser jet printers, cell phones, towels and stationary for a total EUR121.6 million. The Environment Ministry, for instance, spent RON1.1 million on office supplies.

If you liked this story, please follow MEDIAFAX.RO on FACEBOOK »

The content of mediafax.ro is for your information only. Republishing or using this content is forbidden without express consent of MEDIAFAX. For this consent, please ask for it by mail at vanzari@mediafax.ro.