In the coming days, the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (ASK) will publish findings on donations to the Democratic Party of Socialists of 800.000 euros, as well as financial reports of several parties, made by the State Audit Institution (DRI).
This was said by acting director of ASK Dušan Drakić at the session of the Committee for Economy, Finance and Budget. At the meeting of the Board, the draft budget for KAS for 2025, worth 2,69 million euros, was adopted. The Agency previously announced that it would "thoroughly examine" the financial report of the Europe Now Movement (PES) for 2023, with special reference to the undeclared expenses of election campaigns in the amount of around 250.000 euros.
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Drakić stated that they received documentation from the SAI, and that the findings will be published in the coming days.
"In all cases where the subject has violated the law, we will initiate appropriate and misdemeanor proceedings, and we will provide our analysis. It is important to understand that ASK controls the election campaign and that is where our work ends. Next year, the SAI will also evaluate our work," he said and added that they must have good cooperation with the institutions, which was lacking before.
He was asked about those cases by the President of the Committee, Boris Mugoša, who said that he hoped that the ASK would also strengthen the sectors dealing with the assessment of corruption risks, when it comes to legislative proposals. He also asked how many employees they have and how many more they will hire, but that salaries in ASK are still low, so the staff is leaving.
Fewer fines for trivial things
MP of the New Serbian Democracy (NSD) Dejan Đuropvić said that he believes that it is time for the ASK to start dealing with the work for which it was created, and not petty political subterfuge, which was the main activity in the earlier period. He pointed out that they dealt with trivial things such as 100-euro gifts for March 8, scrapped cars from the 1990s and small square footage of deputies in the countryside...
He stated that people were punished while corruption and crime flourished, while ASK did not deal with it.
"It was very strange that a person who got an apartment in Cetinje under privileged circumstances for 30.000 euros, sold it for 80.000 euros and did not pay profit tax, and remained at the head of ASK, was chosen as the director. Out of so many papers, business premises, Pandora's papers, the former Prime Minister was never punished, he was the only one who submitted everything properly. We all know that he was the head of a clan that avoided taxes and profits. Until now, I have not voted in revolt for any budget, and today I will vote", said Đurović and added that he expects to see the results next year, after which he will see if he will support the budget again.
Đurović said that he wants non-selectivity, but not persecution of the opposition, as they have experienced for trivial matters. He also stated that salaries must be higher in order to reduce the level of corruption, and that he wants them to work on it after the new year, so that inspectors and controllers are more independent.
The President of the ASK Council, Pavle Ćupić, explained that the ASK budget should not be lower than 0,2 percent of the state budget, ie 2,67 million euros, and that the budget approved so far has always been below that measure.
"The budget is projected at 2,69 million euros, which is 2024 thousand euros more than in 227,93. Perhaps this difference was not so great that the budget of ASK was in accordance with the law. The budget was planned based on strategy for the fight against corruption until 2028. We took special care of the rationalization of certain costs", said Ćupić.
He also pointed out that ASK is facing a shortage of staff, and that the priority is to fill key positions and invest in training. He emphasized that so far the execution of the budget was between 80 and 85 percent, and that they are convinced that it will be better in the next year.
He also announced that he will work on the quality and not the quantity of decisions and that he will work on accumulated cases from an earlier period.
"We have to strengthen the section for corrupt assessment of the law. Systematization provides for 98 jobs, previously 77, and currently 58 are working. This does not mean that we will employ 40 people, but first we will distribute and fill the existing jobs and get the most out of them. Strengthened we are controllers through systematization," said Ćupić.
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