Questions from Dan newspaper:
– What are your expectations from the new -old Government?
– Is it realistic to expect a decrease in unemployment, an increase in average wage and general economic growth?
Mark SOŠIĆ, Public Policy Researcher in Institute Alternative replies:
The new Government is primarily expected to intensify efforts in the fight against corruption and efforts to increase transparency and accountability in public finance. As a concrete step in this direction, we consider strengthening and making more effective control mechanisms of public finances, work on the integrity of public finances and efforts to make public spending more transparent and cost effective.
Here we highlight strengthening the financial independence of the State Audit Institution and the strengthening of its total capacity, and also the need for implementation of the SAI recommendations from the Government and the Ministry of Finance.
.
We expect that the new Government will finally be exposed to the effects of public internal financial control (especially of internal revision that should be run in all consumer units and make concrete improvements (and savings) in their work.
After three changes of the Law on Public Procurement, it is about time for paying special attention to the implementation of the public procurement, especially in the area of reduction of abuse and corruption in public procurement processes – from planning to the execution of the contract.
Development opportunity for our economy we see in the use of the concept of public-private partnerships or concessions, but only if the contracts are based on the principles of accountability, transparency and efficiency.
This is a list of things that are mostly related to achieving greater transparency and accountability in public finance, and therefore in the fight against corruption as well. Work on them is the precondition of better financial situation and economic growth. We do not dare before the constitution of the new government to evaluate its readiness and political will to tackle these problems. However, it seems that if the ruling coalition wants to retain or improve its score in the next elections, decisive progress in these areas is needed more than ever.
