The Ministry of Domestic Affairs in Engulfed in a Huge Scandal

After Jurnalul National disclosed that the Ministry of Domestic Affairs called public biddings for gourmet foods and fine liquors, the top officials told the media that the funding for the "protocol" foods and beverages comes not from public money but from private contributions of the employees.

Some of the employees in the Ministry of Domestic Affairs believe a glass of wine is a good cap for a day’s work serving the community

This explanation did not go well with the ordinary policeman or riot police officer, since they knew nothing about money being subtracted from their salaries to build up a fund for such luxury items.

The press release from the ministry stated also that the produce and liquors will actually be available to all the 20,000 strong personnel when vacationing in the special venues belonging to the ministry.
A further press release from the ministry - which also warned the media that that will be the last one on the matter - said that all employees were dully informed of the money being taken out of their legitimate pay, and the destination of such amounts.
However, traffic police officers interviewed by Antena 1 television station knew nothing about such dealings with their own money, and vehemently denied that any amounts are taken out of their regular pay to build this special fund.

When asked how big that special fund was, the official response was that it amounted to some two billion lei (54,000 euros) from 2000 to 2004; the answer did not make clear though if the figure was valid for one year alone or for the duration of the five years.
The logic of the explanations provided is as flawed as the accuracy of the figures put forward.
Why would a public institution (the ministry) administer money from private donations (the individual salaries of the individual police officers)? Why would private funds be used to operate public spaces (like the vacationing venues administered by the ministry)? Why would transparency of use of private money be made mandatory? And how are selected the employees - from the total of 20,000 - who actually get to spend their vacations in places where allegedly the fine foods and wines and liquors were to arrive?

Still, the total value of the products to be bought by the ministry in the open bidding was about five billion lei, while the estimated fund from private donations stayed at two billion lei. Hence, a legitimate question is where the remaining three billion lei were to come from?
According to Government Ordinance 26/1994 amended by Law 143/1994, the public servants in institutions meant to defend the national territory, the public order and the national security, get meals free of charge. If food is not provided the money covering its value should supplement the salary.