The Ministry of Finance issued the following statement today, Friday: "Some media outlets and social media platforms are circulating a decision made by the Minister of Finance concerning the provision of a 'bonus' as productivity compensation to employees of the Ministry of Finance. This report contains misinformation, criticisms, and significant prejudices that permit some individuals to engage in fabrication, conclusions, and incitement.
Therefore, it is important for the Ministry of Finance, to put an end to the distortion and misconceptions being spread regarding this matter, to clarify: The ninety-fifth article of Law No. 324 dated 12/02/2024 (the Public Budget Law for the year 2024) stipulates that it is mandatory for the government to complete the auditing of all financial accounts up to and including the year 2022 within a period not exceeding one year from the effective date of this law. This includes referring draft laws for the accounts of the years that have not been approved to the House of Representatives, in accordance with constitutional and legal procedures.
Consequently, the Ministry of Finance must complete the account closures for the years 2020 through 2022, in addition to the tasks related to the 2023 account closure. Since accomplishing this task requires more time than regular working hours, and since the House of Representatives has approved allocations for this purpose in the budget of the Ministry of Finance for the year 2024 under the designation of productivity compensation, it is essential to note that certain employees cannot complete this work outside of regular working hours and official holidays without receiving compensation based on the principle of 'no work without pay.'
The productivity bonus will only be granted to employees of the Ministry of Finance who perform tasks related to the account closures and mission accounts outside of normal working hours and official holidays, in an effort to meet the deadlines set by the House of Representatives in the Public Budget Law for the year 2024 despite challenging working conditions. These conditions include the fact that the offices in the Ministry of Finance are glass-walled and lack cooling systems in the face of extreme heat, along with known electricity issues and deteriorating equipment and electronic systems.
Therefore, the decision issued by Minister Khalil is entirely consistent with the law and the applicable procedures and does not relate to any arbitrary practices, now or in the future. Hence, this clarification was necessary."
