The new Socialist Government is doing its best to ease unemployment in Portugal with the recruitment of 1,100 special advisors spread across various ministries.
Of the 17 departments that appear unable to function without recruiting outside help, Olhão born Finance Minister Mário Centeno topped the list with 111 new posts at his ministry at a cost to the taxpayer of €258,000 a month.
All In all, these new ‘boys’ cost the taxpayer €2.5 million per month with Prime Minister António Costa surrounded himself with 84 advisors with salaries varying between €1,990 and €4,788 per month, or around €218,000 per month in total.
In third place is the Ministry of the Economy led by Manuel Caldeira Cabral with 77 special contracts for so called 'boys' that cost more than €200,000 a month in total.
Next is the Ministry of the Sea and all things Maritime which is getting by with just 29 new nominees.
The government website admits to 823 special posts, but the official State Gazette led slip the real figure of 1,011 special posts all of whom are programmed to nod and say 'yes'.
