Press Release

 

Scandals in public enterprises are consequence of absence of system fight against corruption

 

 

Organization Transparency – Serbia points out to avalanche of information on possible misuses of public enterprises' funds, confirms suspicions which our organization stated and which are very widespread in public. That flow speaks actually about absence of system to fight against corruption in Serbia .

 

If the fight against corruption is lead by designed plan, today we wouldn't be in a situation that managing with enterprises whose incomes and expenses are measured in millions still represent mater of inter-party spoil system, read statements of public enterprise managing boards' members, appointed from „tank“ of human resources of certain political parties, according to which they don't know at all how directors are acting and are not familiar with the decisions of managing board, that representatives of Government explain that they are not aware of what's going on in the enterprises, and that only 9 budget inspectors exist from whom is expected to perform control of public enterprises and thousands of budget beneficiaries. In any case it should not be forgotten that in previous period Parliament and Government persistently delayed establishing of State Audit Institution. We especially emphasize that not only from standpoint of fight against corruption but by rule of law it is inadmissible that in the fifth year of implementation of the Law on Free Access to Information it is possible that public enterprises ignore their obligations of allowing access to information on financial transactions, and that Government disregards legal obligation to secure executing of Commissioner's decisions.

 

We consider that it would be very wrong if subject of control of public enterprises which is initiated now, would be terminated with control of business of PE “Airport Belgrade“ and only on issue of salaries and bonuses, because there are other public enterprises and other, much higher, expenses, which are not under adequate supervision.

 

 

 

Transparency Serbia

27 November 2008