Masterplan to reduce the size of the government

Barcelona (ACN).- Catalonias’ public finances are in a 'delicate' situation, according to the Catalan president, Artur Mas who is designing an austerity plan to cut extra spending and reduce the size of government. The president has announced a 23% cut in high-ranking positions and a reduction in the number of public officials in an attempt to cut spending and compensate the high public deficit, that is expected to reach 3,5% of the GDP.

Doing more and being better for less- this is the main idea of the new Catalan president, the centre-right nationalist Artur Mas. The president of the Generalitat said on Tuesday that he will reduce the number of advisers and high-ranking officials in the government by almost a quarter in comparison with the last executive of the socialist José Montilla.

Mas argues that the cuts will affect 'all the political core of the government, the number of ministries, general direction and secretaries'. In particular, the number of high-ranking officials will be reduced from 177 to 136.

'The new government should give a message of austerity from the beginning', Mas stated. The president added that the spending review will require 'an effort from a lot of people', but stressed that the reduction of the size of government is necessary as 'the financial situation of the Generalitat is delicate'.

Mas explained that after their first few days in office, his team is evaluating the economical situation of the public finances, which are as bad as he expected. 'The conclusion is that what we expected to be difficult will actually be difficult', he said.

Artur Mas argued that some of the special political advisers and high-ranking officials were 'not necessary' so he decided to reduce them. Similarly, he asked all his ministers to be austere and avoid extra spending. After reducing the size of the core of the government, Mas intends to cut the spending of the departments and quangos that depend directly on the executive to make them smaller and more efficient.

'This big world of the public companies will be reduced substantially', he claims. All these measures will be adopted to reduce the deficit of the Catalan government, that is expected to reach more than 3,5% of the GDP this year. Mas said that the deficit could be of up to 7.800 million euros, a higher figure than the one forecasted by the former president, José Montilla.