JERUSALEM, November 24, 2009 (WAFA)- Today, Spain and Sweden are contributing over €14.95 million (NIS 82.97 million) towards the early payment of the November salaries and pensions of Palestinian public service providers and pensioners, at  the request of the Palestinian Authority.

This contribution is made early, to allow Palestinian civil servants and pensioners to retrieve their money ahead of the festivities of 'Eid Al-Adha.

This payment, which will benefit 80,163 civil servants and pensioners, represents the second disbursement from the overall contribution of €25 million from Spain and €4.85 million from Sweden, to support the Palestinian Authority meet its wages and pensions bill until the end of 2009. The first disbursement of the Spanish and Swedish contributions was made to contribute to the payment of the October salaries and pensions. Both contributions were channelled through PEGASE, the European mechanism for support to the Palestinians, to ensure the basic delivery of public services by the Palestinian Authority.

'This important contribution from Spain and Sweden through PEGASE to support the Palestinian Authority meet its wages and pensions bill until the end of the year is a testament to the European Union's continuous support to the Palestinian Authority's effort to maintain regular salary payments to its employees while we continue our mutual work in various sectors to strengthen the Palestinian economy and minimise its dependence on donor assistance' said Mr. Christian Berger, the European Commission Representative in Jerusalem. 'We remain fully aware of the financial difficulties the Palestinian Authority is facing, and we hope that other donors will generously provide assistance to enable the administration to function.'

Launched by the European Commission on February 1, 2008, PEGASE is the main financing mechanism of the European Union, the largest donor to the Palestinians, and is open to contributions from other donors. PEGASE channels EU assistance to help build a Palestinian State, in accordance with the priorities and needs identified by the Palestinian Authority and it comes in parallel to the EU assistance through a number of major reform and development programs with key Palestinian ministries.

The European Union (European Commission and European Member States) has so far provided more than € 315 million in 2009 in support of the Palestinian Authority's budget through PEGASE.