The State Audit Institution (SAI) has issued a qualified opinion on the Annual Financial Statement and an adverse opinion on the regularity of the operations of the Local Public Broadcaster "Radio Television (RTV) Podgorica" LLC for 2024.
The SAI announced that they had audited the Annual Financial Report of the Local Public Broadcaster "Radio Televizija Podgorica" LLC for 2024.
"The competent SAI collegium, which managed the audit in question, consisting of: the Chairman of the SAI Senate, Senator Zoran Jelić (Head of the Collegium) and Senator Dr. Milan Dabović (member of the Collegium), expressed a qualified opinion on the Annual Financial Report and an adverse opinion on the regularity of the operations of the Local Public Broadcaster 'Radio Televizija Podgorica' LLC for 2024. The Company stated the Loss for the Current Year in the Balance Sheet and the Loss after Taxation in the Income Statement in different amounts, i.e. the positions shown differ by the amount of 6.646 euros. The Company also stated the Capital position in the Final Statement and the Balance Sheet in different amounts, i.e. the positions shown differ by the amount of 23.996,30 euros," the statement states.
The SAI added that the audit of the regularity of the operations of the Local Public Broadcaster "Radio Televizija Podgorica" LLC for 2024 identified non-compliances that have a material and pervasive effect.
"Non-compliances were identified in relation to the Labor Law, the Law on Management and Internal Controls in the Public Sector, the Law on State Property, the Law on Accounting, the Law on Value Added Tax, the Law on Obligations, the Law on Public Procurement, the Rulebook on the manner and deadlines for conducting an inventory of property and liabilities of a legal entity, the Rulebook on the chart of accounts and the content of accounts in the chart of accounts for legal entities registered for carrying out economic activities and other legal entities, and the Rulebook on the conditions and manner of using official vehicles. The auditee engaged persons on the basis of a service contract to perform regular activities, while it did not publicly advertise for positions that were filled by taking over from another employer, which is not in accordance with the Labor Law," the statement reads.
The SAI said that the audit determined that the Tax Administration had not been provided with the financial report adopted by the Company's Council.
"The Company did not make provisions for compensation and other employee benefits, as well as provisions for ongoing legal proceedings, which is not in accordance with the requirements of IAS 19 - Employee Benefits. The Company did not keep separate accounting for the provision of public services from the commercial audiovisual services provided, which is not in accordance with the Law on Audiovisual Media Services. The audit determined that the Company did not submit data on movable and immovable property to the administrative body responsible for property affairs, for the purpose of maintaining the Real Estate Register, i.e. accounting records of movable property, which is not in accordance with the Law on State Property, and that the Report on the inventory did not include liabilities. The Company, contrary to the Law on Profit Tax, used the right to deduct previous tax on the basis of purchased spare parts for a passenger vehicle," the statement reads.
They stated that in relation to the 21 issued recommendations, DOO Local Public Broadcaster "Radio Televizija Podgorica" for 2024, as the audit subject, is obliged to develop and submit to the SAI an Action Plan for the implementation of recommendations by July 22, 2025, and a Report on the actions taken based on the developed and submitted recommendations by December 22, 2025.
"The final report on the audit of the Annual Financial Report of the Local Public Broadcaster DOO 'Radio Televizija Podgorica' for 2024 has been submitted for information to the Council of the Company, as the governing and management body, the Assembly of the Capital City of Podgorica as the founder of the Company, the Ministry of Culture and Media, the Supreme State Prosecutor's Office of Montenegro and the Committee on Economy, Finance and Budget of the Parliament of Montenegro. The interested public can familiarize themselves with the content of the final Report on the Audit of the Annual Financial Report of the Local Public Broadcaster DOO "Radio Televizija Podgorica" for 2024 on the official website of the State Audit Office www.dri.co.me", said the DRI.
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