Press Release

 

Research on transparency of budget

 

Organization Transparency – Serbia announces that in 85 countries today will be published results of the most detail international research on transparency of the budget „Open budget index“, organized by International budget partnership based in Washington, which for the first time comprises Serbia.

 

This comparative research consists of 91 questions aimed to measure quantity and types of information available to the public in key documents related to preparation, execution and oversight of state budget.

 

As already mentioned, research this year comprised 85 states from all the continents, and the focus was on budget for 2007. On that list, Serbia is in the middle, accompanied with Guatemala and Costa Rica , with modest 45 percent points, which allowed a little bit better position than Albania and B&H, but worse than Macedonia , Bulgaria and Croatia . Although number of available budget information in Serbia rises each year, unsatisfactory position for 2007 is primarily caused by the fact that Serbia still hasn't got the practice of checking of final account of the budget and that the program budget is partially introduced since 2008 only.

 

Transparency – Serbia , which participates in this research, will organize in weeks to come much more detailed presentation of findings of this research and problems which should be eliminated so that publicity of data on spending of Serbian tax payers' money would be greater. In order to make this activity more fruitful, we are convinced that it would be of great use if representatives of relevant state organs should actively participate in it, and most importantly Ministry of Finances, Financial Committee of National Assembly, State Audit Institution and Commissioner for Information of Public Importance. Increase of publicity of budget processes is efficient tool in fight against corruption and one of the preconditions for efficient use of scarce financial resources.

 

Transparency – Serbia

 

Belgrade , 2 February 2009.