Filenews 4 September 2021 - by Eleftheria Paizanos
The ministry of finance has revised the travel allowances received by civil servants. The new travel allowances came into effect from September 1.
Travel allowances are granted to travelling public officials, who use their privately owned vehicles within cities and on the outskirts for official purposes. Every month the routes and the kilometres they travel are uniform.
Specifically, the travel allowance is determined on the basis of the average number of certified and paid kilometres of the employee. The finance ministry lists the revised allowances, which are higher than compared to a circular issued in 2014.
According to ministry data, the allowance for the use of gasoline-powered vehicles is increased by 13.38%, the allowance for the use of diesel vehicles, saloon type, is increased by 5.58%, diesel vehicles of van and double-cabin vehicles are increased by 29.02% and for the use of motorcycles the allowance is increased by 20.63%.
It is worth noting that the specific amount of benefits does not include the 15% reduction provided for in the state budget. The Director General of the Ministry of Finance, George Pantelis, in a circular, calls on the accounting departments of ministries, deputy ministries, departments and independent services to apply the 15% reduction in allowances.
In detail, for the use of gasoline-powered vehicles on asphalt roads, from 0.6400 km, the allowance is estimated at 32.18 cents per kilometre, from 6401 to 9600 the allowance is estimated at 28.51 cents per kilometre and from 9601 kilometres and above 26.25 cents per kilometre are paid. The use of the same type of vehicles on unsurfaced roads yields a slightly higher allowance.
Moreover, for the use of diesel saloon-type vehicles on paved roads, the allowance is calculated from 33.24 to 27.31 cents per kilometre. For the use of a saloon of a diesel vehicle on unpaved roads, the allowance is calculated from 34.13 to 29.73 cents per kilometre. Also, for diesel vehicles type vans and double cabs on paved roads the allowance is calculated from 37.15 to 30.16 cents per kilometre, while for uninsured roads the allowances are calculated from 38.21 to 31.22 cents per kilometre.
Allowances for the use of duty-free petrol vehicles are estimated to be between 25.74 cents to 21.00 cents per kilometre and duty-free diesel cars are estimated between 28.05 to 22.94 cents per kilometre. Allowances for the use of motorcycles for official purposes are estimated between 17.26 cents and 11.10 cents per kilometre. It is worth noting that the travel allowance paid to postal employees has increased since 2019, to €194.93.
