Scrutiny of Prabowo's overseas trips broadens to visit costs
The dispute now also covers hotel bills for the delegation in France and which budget paid for the trip.
Scrutiny of President Prabowo Subianto's foreign diplomacy has widened from the frequency of his trips to the cost of the visits, especially after his late-May trip to France. Channel News Asia said the visit was Prabowo's fourth to France since taking office, amid domestic budget-tightening measures. Tempo, as quoted by CNA, reported that the delegation was said to have booked 27 rooms for three nights at the Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris, at an estimated cost of 281.640 euro. Foreign Minister Sugiono defended the series of trips as part of face-to-face diplomacy to build ties and bring benefits to Indonesia. Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said the cost of the head of state's travel is budgeted in the APBN under PMK Nomor 66 Tahun 2020, but the details are confidential.