The implementation of the recommendations of the Court of Auditors as a result of the audits conducted at the local public authorities in Comrat, Bălți, Ungheni, and Nisporeni is doubtful, ascertained Transparency International-Moldova that examined the implementation of the Court’s recommendations.

In a news conference hosted by IPN, Iana Spinei, Transparency International-Moldova expert, said that all the audited entities provided information about the measures taken to implement the Court’s recommendations. Nevertheless, the quality of responses leaves to be desired. Some of them are superficial, with unconvincing data or data irrelevant to the set tasks and without confirmation documents annexed. Even if the information about the measures taken by the LPAs to implement the Court of Auditors’ recommendations should be published on the Court’s website, the analysis of the website’s content shows that the data in the profile of some of the Court’s decision is absent. Some of the justificatory documents to which the LPAs make reference weren’t published on the Court’s website, possibly owing to the insufficiency of space for storing these.

The analysis of the websites of the audited LPAs shows that particular information about the implementation of the Court’s recommendations was posted on them, but this is insufficient. The recommendations include the institution and strengthening of internal managerial control at LPAs, full and correct inventorying and registering of public property, identification of real estate that wasn’t assessed for fiscal purposes, updating of the Real Estate Register, enhancement of efficiency in property use.

In 2018-2022, the Court of Auditors carried out over 70 audits covering local public authorities. It identified shortcomings typical of all the LPAs, which are annually perpetuated in their work. These refer to the absence of solid substantiation for draft budgets, non-observance of the law when income taxes/local taxes are calculated, registration and management of defective assets of municipal enterprises. As a result, these enterprises fail to collect important revenues, waste public funds on nontransparent and noncompetitive acquisitions, lose public property, stated Iana Spinei

For example, sidewalks and roads were extensively repaired in Balti and the works of about 31 million lei were carried out without projects and checks. Even if the green light wasn’t given, the repair of the public bath was initiated and 2.4 million lei was blocked due to the impossibility of continuing the repair works. In Ungheni, extensive repair works, good and services were procured in the absence of funds and debts of about 8.1 million lei were accumulated.

In Nisporeni, the ownership rights over lots that are 1,650 ha in area weren’t registered and procurement plans weren’t designed and published. The duties of the working group weren’t agreed and the implementation of contracts wasn’t monitored. In Comrat, extensive repair works of about 8.3 million lei were carried out in the absence of available funds. The ownership rights over public property lots that are 3,192 ha in area and nine constructions to the value of 2 million lei weren’t registered in the Real Estate Register.

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