Auditor to file charges

State Auditor Radoslav Sretenovic is expected to file charges against certain ministers for the unplanned spending of 2008 budget funds. It is however unclear in the entire process whether Sretenovic will file misdemeanor or criminal charges, nor is it clear who the ministers are. What is known is that charges will be brought up against 18 institutions whose work had been audited. Auditor to file charges All other information on the issue is based solely on media speculations. Sretenovic did not want to reveal any details about the charges before he files them. Over the past few days, the media has been reporting information about money that was spent for an exhibition organized by the Trade and Chamber of Commerce Ministry, but also about money spent on catering services by the Health Ministry. Other than the dilemma of what kind of criminal charges would be filed, media reported the names of some ministers that may have unjustly spent budget funds. The most often mentioned culprits are Tomica Milosavljevic, Slobodan Milosavljevic, Nebojsa Bradic and former Minister Predrag Bubalo. “It’s inconvenient that we do not know, of course. "The key problem is that there really is no information or transparency in these events. Charges are discussed only when somebody has a problem with someone, when somebody has stepped on someone else's toes or something like that. This kind of spending is not news to anyone. Let’s remember the specially furnished VIP lounge at Nikola Tesla Airport, so why would the ministry of Tomica Milosavljevic not do the same for itself?” Gredelj asked. Transparency Serbia, however, does not have a dilemma about the kind of the charges that will be filed tomorrow. Program Director Nemanja Nenadic said that the next move of the State Audit Institution (DRI) should be to investigate budget expenditures. “Frankly, I do not expect criminal charges but a possible launching of some misdemeanor proceedings, as it has been announced in the past several months. In a criminal act you also have to prove the intent to obtain some benefit, which is very difficult and cannot be seen from the audit documentation itself,” he explained. The DRI has announced that the audit of last year’s budget will begin on March 1, when all budget users are expected to submit their final accounts. The Serbian Parliament has not discussed the report on 2008 yet, even though it was demanded by the opposition MPs at the end of 2009. Radoslav Sretenovic (Tanjug archive)

Auditor to file charges

All other information on the issue is based solely on media speculations. Sretenović did not want to reveal any details about the charges before he files them.

Over the past few days, the media has been reporting information about money that was spent for an exhibition organized by the Trade and Chamber of Commerce Ministry, but also about money spent on catering services by the Health Ministry.

Other than the dilemma of what kind of criminal charges would be filed, media reported the names of some ministers that may have unjustly spent budget funds.

The most often mentioned culprits are Tomica Milosavljević, Slobodan Milosavljević, Nebojša Bradić and former Minister Predrag Bubalo. “It’s inconvenient that we do not know, of course.

"The key problem is that there really is no information or transparency in these events. Charges are discussed only when somebody has a problem with someone, when somebody has stepped on someone else's toes or something like that. This kind of spending is not news to anyone. Let’s remember the specially furnished VIP lounge at Nikola Tesla Airport, so why would the ministry of Tomica Milosavljević not do the same for itself?” Gredelj asked.

Transparency Serbia, however, does not have a dilemma about the kind of the charges that will be filed tomorrow. Program Director Nemanja Nenadić said that the next move of the State Audit Institution (DRI) should be to investigate budget expenditures.

“Frankly, I do not expect criminal charges but a possible launching of some misdemeanor proceedings, as it has been announced in the past several months. In a criminal act you also have to prove the intent to obtain some benefit, which is very difficult and cannot be seen from the audit documentation itself,” he explained.

The DRI has announced that the audit of last year’s budget will begin on March 1, when all budget users are expected to submit their final accounts. The Serbian Parliament has not discussed the report on 2008 yet, even though it was demanded by the opposition MPs at the end of 2009.