ZAGREB, Nov 25 (Hina) - The report of the State Auditing Office for +1997 was correct and professional, however, year after year the +auditing reports were omitting increasingly more facts, Croatian +opposition parties said in their
assessments.+ While the ruling Croatian Democratic Union assessed that larger +irregularities in the spending of state money, the opposition, +including the Liberal Party (LS), the Social Democratic Party +(SDP), the Croatian People's Party (HNS)/Istrian Democratic Forum +(IDF), the Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS), and the Croatian +Peasants' Party (HSS), pointed to a series of irregularities. + The SDP bench said the irregularities and illegitimacies were such +that on the report's basis, the Government's responsibility should +be brought into question.+ The Croatian House of Representatives ended its Wednesday session +by concluding a discussion on the state auditi
ZAGREB, Nov 25 (Hina) - The report of the State Auditing Office for
1997 was correct and professional, however, year after year the
auditing reports were omitting increasingly more facts, Croatian
opposition parties said in their assessments.
While the ruling Croatian Democratic Union assessed that larger
irregularities in the spending of state money, the opposition,
including the Liberal Party (LS), the Social Democratic Party
(SDP), the Croatian People's Party (HNS)/Istrian Democratic Forum
(IDF), the Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS), and the Croatian
Peasants' Party (HSS), pointed to a series of irregularities.
The SDP bench said the irregularities and illegitimacies were such
that on the report's basis, the Government's responsibility should
be brought into question.
The Croatian House of Representatives ended its Wednesday session
by concluding a discussion on the state auditing report and two
other bills.
The LS parliamentary bench assessed the report as routinely done,
partial, and relatively late, and had the impression the criteria
had been "softened".
The HSLS evaluated the report as fair, but "politically supervised
and dosed".
The SDP noted the report showed that the Government and the state
were not aware of the property at their disposal, did not follow
certain laws. Along with other opposition parties, the SDP demanded
that those responsible be sanctioned.
The ruling HDZ too proposed a stricter use of sanctions, either
penal or political, against individuals responsible for
irresponsible and illegal spending of citizens' money.
The party's bench however believed the auditing report proved that
major irregularities had not been made, while minor ones should be
corrected.
The HDZ in particular advocated organising interior supervision in
all bodies and institutions.
The HNS/IDF bench asked about the auditing of bids for tenders and
best offers for the building of the Bechtel road, the Plomin II
thermo-electric power plant, for the US$1.2 billion invested in the
financial restructuring of Dubrovacka Banka.
During discussion it was pointed to a series of examples indicating
that contracts were not awarded to those with the most favourable
bids for the purchase of goods, services, and other. The Tax
Administration was mentioned several times in relation to one of
its purchase contracts which, through two annexes, increased the
total price by 51 percent.
Several benches, particularly of the Croatian Pure Party of Rights,
remarked about the unavailability of auditing reports for the
ministries of defence, the interior, and foreign affairs.
Those auditing reports had been done and were discussed on Tuesday
by the Committee for Internal Politics and National Security, said
the chief state auditor Sima Krasic.
Her statement was confirmed by Committee chairman, Vladimir Seks,
who said the Committee had decided to keep the confidential seal on
those reports.
(hina) it/ha jn