Government Defies the Law and Goes Unpunished. Analysis by Info-Prim Neo

The “Official Monitor” newspaper published in its latest issue (No. 184-185) a number of decisions regarding the assignment of finances from the Government Reserve Fund. At least one of them is part of a series of similar decisions, by means of which the Government spends tons of public money for years, defying the Law and remaining unpunished. This matches the Latin phrase “Quod licet Iovi, non licet Bovi”. The given decision is particularly relevant for bringing to light the tools authorities use to manipulate funds. This particular Government decision (No.1352) provides for the assignment of about 10,000 lei to other two central authorities, “for covering expenditures incurred during the visit to Moldova of His Excellency Mr. Getiminas Kirkilas, Prime Minister of Lithuania”. The visit was paid on October 2-3, but the decision on the assignment came almost a month later, on November 27. The regulations set by the very same Government stipulate that any estimate whatsoever, belonging to any public-funded institution, is firstly drafted, justified and then approved. Assigning funds subsequently is allowed as exception to the general rule. Official visits of this kind are not decided upon overnight, hence the Government had plenty of time to avoid breaking its own rules and to assure a certain degree of transparency in spending taxpayer’s money. The decision No.1305, dated November 13, has a similar approach; it allotted the same Executive 71,000 lei to cover expenses related to the official visit of Andrei Fursenco, Russian Education minister, who headed the Russian Intergovernmental Committee on interstate economic co-operation, but this took place back in early October. This visit was anticipated, awaited, and talked about. With a one-month delay, the Government approves the decision to assign about 130,000 lei for covering expenditures related to the official visit of the Latvian PM Aigars Kalvitis, who visited Moldova on September 6-10 (decision No. 1182, dated October 11). [ Reserve fund for internal use?] Who is to be brought to account, who and how was punished for these and other similar cases, when lots of public money was used without a beforehand Government decision? The answer is a question. Who is to be punished and who is to be brought to account if for the PM Vasile Tarlev himself, who paid a visit to Croatia on October 23-24, the sum of over 225,000 lei has been approved only on November 14? These questions should have an answer though, as there are public institutions which should ensure the respect of the Law, even if it is the Government which is accused of violation. The Court of Accounts, the General Public Prosecution Office, and the Parliament, for instance. This is the aspect of the problem that should be analyzed, because the administration of public money should correspond to the norms imposed by the Law no. 1228 providing for the Regulations on the Government Reserve Fund resources, of June 17, 1997. According to this law, “the Reserve Fund is meant to finance the following expenditures and actions which the Government might incur during the year and which are not provided for by the State Budget: eliminating the effects of natural calamities, operating drafting works connected to these actions; supporting local public authorities; operating early elections and referenda; expenses related to the official delegations of Moldova abroad and arrangements of foreign official delegations visiting the republic” etc. However, the law expressly says that these expenses are to be allowed only if the funds provided in the State Budget are not sufficient. Should we assume that the money for official visits from and to Moldova was not provided for in the State Budget for 2006? Or maybe it was in fact provided, but those 225,000 lei for the PM’s visit to Croatia, for example, were just intended to cover gaps of a much larger budget for the visit than the initially approved one? Nevertheless, the decision No. 1305, dated November 13, funds the same government staff with 43,000 lei, as well as provides another 18,000 to the Ministry of Culture, for the actions dedicated to the “National Wine Holliday”. Also subsequently, a month later. The Wine Holiday has certainly been advertised during the entire year across Moldova. It is a traditional festivity, requiring large sums, which should be provided for by the State Budget. Taking this money from the Reserve Fund is at least arising distrust. The suspicions can be easily solved via the provisions of the same law, which say that “using finances from the Reserve Fund in an inefficient way or improperly, constitutes ground for their total and incontestable refunding and for punishing persons accountable, in conformity with the legal provisions”. [Info-Prim Neo Note:] For those who are not proficient enough in Latin. The phrase “Quod licet Iovi, non licet Bovi” stands for: “Gods may do what cattle may not”. What does the Government think taxpayers are, then?