Instead of investigations due to the irresponsible public finance management – the prosecution of the Auditor General

Attempts to discredit the audit reports, attacks which, according to the Auditor General, come from the holders of the highest functions in the Republic of Srpska, and direct attempts to dismiss and take the control over the audit, show once again that the RS Government does not care about the legal or institutional order and that the institutions are treated as personal assets

Banja Luka, 29th August 2017 – The ruling coalition in the Republic of Srpska requested from the Auditor General of the Supreme Office for the Republic of Srpska Public Sector Auditing to resign, threatening that he will be dismissed unless he resigns by himself, which represents direct violation of the independence of the Supreme Office for the Republic of Srpska Public Sector Auditing and and attempt to establish political party control over this institution and its employees as well.
Not only that the request for resignation or dismissal of the Auditor General was announced at the inter-party meeting, and thus left it unclear in what percentage the representatives of the ruling coalition participated, but the President of the Republic of Srpska, Milorad Dodik, as usually, exceeded his competences which certainly do not imply the dismissal of the Auditor General.
Law on Public Sector Auditing of the Republic of Srpska clearly prescribes that the Supreme Office for Auditing is „independent and will not be subject to the management or control by any individual or institution, except those defined by the Law“. It is also prescribed that the National Assembly is in charge of dismissing the Auditor General in case of his written resignation, inability to perform his duty or if he violates the provisions of the Law related to the conditions needed for his appointment.
The fact that the authorities do not like the audit reports prepared by the Supreme Office for indicating an increase in the deficit and chaotic management of public finances, is certainly not one of those conditions. The previous attempts to discredit the audit reports, public accusations and attacks against the Auditor General are directed by the holders of the highest functions in the RS, and direct attempts to dismiss and take the control over the audit, show once again that the RS Government does not care about the legal or institutional order and that the institutions are treated as personal assets.
Instead of using the audit reports to improve the public finance management, and instead of determining the responsibility and initiating the investigation for irresponsible disposal of resources, the authorities of RS, like always, chose the authoritarian regime – the prosecution of those who point out the irregularities by doing their job professionally.

Press rls 29.08.2017. e