ZAGREB, Nov 22 (Hina) - Almost all parliamentary party benches have warned during a debate about a report by the State Audit that despite some progress, the ministries and other state bodies continue to spend taxpayers' money in an
irresponsible manner.
ZAGREB, Nov 22 (Hina) - Almost all parliamentary party benches have
warned during a debate about a report by the State Audit that
despite some progress, the ministries and other state bodies
continue to spend taxpayers' money in an irresponsible manner. #L#
Opposition benches, as well as part of those from the ruling
coalition, said on Friday that there was lack of readiness to tackle
the question of responsibility in bodies in which irregularities
had been registered for years.
The Opposition particularly criticised the Finance Ministry which
it claims has not registered foreign currency revenues, foreign
debts, and foreign currency accounts abroad.
This causes complete chaos in the registration of budgetary funds,
said Ivan Suker of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ).
The benches also warned of irregularities in other ministries.
They stated that a non-earmarked amount of 400 million kuna kept
cropping up in the Ministry of Maritime Affairs for years, that a
number of irregularities with regard to the allocation of loans
were reported in the Trades Ministry, that US$5.8 million was spent
for the embassy building in Budapest and that there was no
information on the money from the sale of a government plane which
was to be used for the reconstruction of Vukovar.
The ruling coalition benches were dissatisfied with the way state
funds were spent as well.
Branko Tusek of the Social Democrats warned that a financial
institution spent 600,000 kuna for representation annually or
2,000 kuna per day, and that a state institute last year spent
almost two million kuna or 5,000 kuna per day for business trips.
Chief State Auditor Sima Krasic said that most users of budgetary
funds last year operated in line with regulations and that
irregularities were decreasing by the year.
Seven institutions operated last year without major
irregularities. Those include the ministries of European
integration, culture, education, and social care, the State
Institute for Family, the Employment Bureau, and the Croatian Bank
for Reconstruction and Development.
(hina) rml sb