by Maximiliano Crocamo
Interviews: Everest Bertoli, Councilor for Finance and Budget; Stefano Avian, Councilor for Human Resources Policies
The Municipality of Trieste will supplement a regional welfare allowance by €200, bringing the total benefit available to each municipal employee to €1,000 for 2026.
The additional funding will cost the city €500,000, according to Everest Bertoli, the municipal councilor for finance and budget. The measure adds to the €800 allowance established by the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region.
Bertoli credited the city’s budget planning for making the supplement possible, while also acknowledging the regional administration led by Gov. Massimiliano Fedriga and regional councilor Pierpaolo Roberti for the regional contribution.
Stefano Avian, the councilor responsible for human resources policies, said the benefit would not be paid directly as additional net salary. Instead, employees must submit documentation of eligible expenses to receive reimbursement.
The funds must be used by Dec. 31, 2026, but expenses incurred earlier in the year can also qualify, Bertoli said.
The municipality had allocated the resources in its December 2025 budget, before the regional measure was introduced. The agreement with trade unions, however, was signed only recently, Bertoli said. Waiting for the agreement before setting aside the money could have delayed the measure beyond the end of October, leaving too little time for a budget adjustment.
Avian said the additional benefit had not been guaranteed, given the broader economic climate.
The measure may also help the municipality retain employees who might otherwise seek jobs with the regional administration, where comparable benefits are available. Avian said aligning employment conditions could help reduce the incentive for staff to leave for positions offering better terms.
The city has not yet confirmed whether the additional contribution will continue in 2027. Bertoli said the municipal budget for 2027-29 is still being prepared and that future funding decisions would depend on the budget process.
He added that corporate welfare benefits have become an established part of the legal framework. Avian said the region determines the scope of the contribution, subject to a maximum of €1,000 per employee.
