The online news website published an article on Monday concerning certain expenses paid by the authorities during the Minister’s official trips abroad.
According to the article, the ministry paid for meals and bottles of wine, occasionally reaching several hundred euros, during these trips. Reporter.lu highlighted that the nature of these meetings, whether they were conducted in a professional setting, was not always evident.
In a press release published on Tuesday, the Directorate for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Action of the ministry of Franz Fayot contested these accusations and provided explanations. The Directorate has provided clarification regarding official trips by government members, stating that it is customary for the Minister to assume the expenses of breakfasts, lunches, and dinners for potential guests included in the official program. Additionally, on occasion, the Minister may cover such costs for members of the delegation.
The Directorate points out that in most cases, these expenses are covered by the Minister in a private capacity. However, in situations where the meetings were “primarily work-related,” they were submitted for reimbursement. Due to the often busy schedule of overseas missions, pre- and post-mission meetings are often delayed “and sometimes take place during dinner with foreign partners,” for instance.
In addition, the Directorate notes that it is important to remember when the Minister covers expenses related to meals for delegation members, the latter are required to report this on their expense statements. Their lump-sum allowance is then reduced accordingly, as is the case for other meals paid for within the context of the mission.
This practice ensures that expenses are not billed twice, preventing a double cost to the state. Regarding trips where the Minister was accompanied by his girlfriend, the Directorate stresses that the travel expenses were “strictly separated and settled privately.”
The Directorate does acknowledge that two errors were made when submitting invoices for reimbursement, as stated in the original article by Reporter. However, the authorities stress that these were unintended mistakes for which the Minister “has offered his apologies.” As mentioned in the original article, the process for reimbursing the respective amounts is currently underway.
Franz Fayot himself has declined to comment on the situation, despite several requests from RTL.
