Use of public money in Chisinau and Balti to be monitored

Journalists and representatives of civil society during a year will monitor how the local public authorities in Balti and Chisinau use the public money within the Monitoring the Use of Public Money in Chisinau and Balti Project, which is implemented by the Association of Independent Press (API). API executive director Petru Macovei has told Info-Prim Neo that the project aims to strengthen the participative process at local level by promoting positive practices of involving people and representatives of NGOs in monitoring how efficiently the public money is used. Two working groups will monitor the activities of the local administrations in May 2011 – January 2012. The joint groups will consist of journalists, two representatives of NGOs and two ordinary persons selected by contest. The working groups will also attend the discussions and consultations on budget formation and public money use, involving officials of the public administration. Petru Macovei said the project is designed to make the local public authorities more responsible by increasing people’s interest in their work. The working groups created in the two cities will go to institutions to see if the money was invested judiciously and will discuss with the people to find out their opinions about how the public money is spent. “We have conducted such campaigns for three years, but mainly in villages. Chisinau and Balti are large towns with large budgets,” said Petru Macovei. The working groups will present monitoring reports every quarter. The Monitoring the Use of Public Money in Chisinau and Balti Project includes making two documentaries about the use of public finances. It is implemented by API with the financial assistance of Soros Foundation Moldova and is a continuation of the campaign “Call to account for public money” carried out by the Association.