Posted on 06/10/2004 1:23:41 PM PDT by Jane_N
SARAJEVO : The top international representative in Bosnia, Paddy Ashdown, said that heads should roll after an audit showed that state institutions had exceeded their budgets by millions of dollars.
"In any normal country ... that level of waste by institutions could not result in anything else than high-level resignations," Ashdown said, reacting to Wednesday's report from the Bosnian Central Audit Office.
The report revealed a number of budget irregularities in six public institutions including the presidency, government and election commission. It blamed lax internal control systems for the losses.
The country's tripartite presidency alone spent nearly a million convertible marks (KM) over last year's budget of 5.2 million KM (3.2 million dollars), it said.
Some of that money was used to buy luxury vehicles and suits for members of the presidency.
Ashdown listed examples of waste including a 15,OOO KM "spending spree for diplomatic gifts ... without any authorisation or procurement approval".
"Two thousand KM (was spent) on a fountain pen -- that is a whole annual pension for one pensioner," he said.
"One presidential vehicle was purchased for 160,000 KM, that is enough for 230 extra nurses for a month for Bosnia-Herzegovina's hospitals."
The unemployment rate stands at 40 percent in Bosnia with half the country's population of about four million living below or around the poverty line.
"In any normal country, the president would now review his position or at the very least review the position of those he had put in charge of regulating the presidency's expenditures and finances," Ashdown said.
"Whether Bosnia-Hercegovina is that kind of normal country will now be seen by what happens next."
The auditors said in the report that the state could save up to 25 million KM annually if internal spending controls were improved.
The report was sent to parliament and the state prosecutor.
In any European country that level of waste would mean... well, absolutely nothing. Why do you think no auditor has been willing to sign off on the EU's accounts for over a decade? And that Yasser fellow still has a billion to account for... were I a corrupt Bosnian official I'd be having a good laugh about this bluster.
Welcome to Bosnia, Mr. "Pants-down!"
I can't speak for all European countries but I do believe that in Sweden something like this would not be laughed at. I am basing this on the "scandal" a few years ago when a minister of the government (Mona Sahlin) bought a toblerone and diapers (if I remember right) and charged it all on her credit card issued to her for governmental purposes. She didn't resign but was transfered/demoted.
"Convertible marks"? Is Bosnia the only country in Europe still using the Deutschmark? Looks like a reasonable conversion rate for that comparison...
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