Public enterprises to report on expenses


About EUR 30,000 or 1,858,000 denars were spent for representation by the members of AD MEPSO Board of Directors during 2017. No evidence of approval has been attached to them, the State Audit Office states in its latest report. Saraj municipality was more modest: for the same purpose in 2016 they spent “only” 498,000 denars or about eight thousand euros.

“From the submitted documentation it cannot be determined whether the service is performed for the needs of the municipality,” the auditors concluded.
Audit reports cautioning about the lack of money dealing with state money have so far not found fertile soil in institutions dealing with illegal activities. Now, the latest decisions of the Government will have to pay attention to how much money is spent on eating and drinking. Namely, following the example of the Prime Minister and the ministries, from now on the directors and deputies of the public enterprises, the independent state administration bodies, the legal entities with public authorizations, state-owned joint stock companies and the bodies within the ministries will have to have official websites to publish official spending.
“By June 20 this year, the directors and deputies of the directors of the independent state administration bodies, the bodies within the Ministries and the Inspection Council are obliged to publish on their websites the data on their official expenses for the period from December 1 2014 to 31 May 2015, and for the period from 1 December 2017 to 31 May 2018. The same is also suggested to be done by the directors and deputy directors of public enterprises, legal entities with public authorizations and state-owned joint stock companies, ‘Ilindenska’ said. The Government considers that the obligation to announce official spending in the long run will ensure efficiency in the work of the institutions, as well as increased responsibility of the government.

A few weeks ago, it was announced that mayors would also give report on where and for which they spend the budget funds, or in line with the reactions after the announcement of the government’s accountability tool: who used to drink coffee, how much he ate and how much he spent on trips. The Association of Local Self-Government Units (ZELS) was expected to sign cooperation with the Government for inclusion in the cost accounting software, but this has not yet happened. It was a call from the Government, but not an obligation.

For the time being, part of the accountability tool is the President of the Government, the deputies of the President, the ministers, the deputy ministers and the ministers without portfolio, as well as the Secretary General of the Government and the state secretaries of the ministries. The figures showed that the biggest money laundering happens in the ministries of culture and economy. In addition to public criticism, the Government said it was an example of accountable work dedicated to the citizens’ needs.