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Fourth Attempt to Carry Out Audit of Supreme Court Fails
Wednesday 04 August 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, August 4 (TASR) - Not even the Finance Ministry's fourth attempt to carry out a government audit at the Supreme Court has met with any success, Finance Minister Ivan Miklos confirmed on Wednesday.
Administrative proceedings are underway at the moment, with Supreme Court Chairman Stefan Harabin given three days to allow an inspection to take place.
"If we receive notification that the inspection can proceed by Friday, I will consider the whole situation remedied," Miklos told journalists, adding that he doesn't expect that to happen, however. If the inspection is still blocked at that time, the Supreme Court will have to pay a €33,000 fine, with Harabin himself fined €1,000. If Harabin chooses to cause further obstructions, Miklos is entitled to impose another set of fines.
According to Miklos, inflicting fines on the Supreme Court is the only means at the Finance Ministry's disposal to force through an inspection. In view of the absurd situation, Miklos will seek ways to change legislation.
The Finance Ministry/Supreme Court case has been going on for a week now. The ministry wants to look into whether financial resources are being used effectively and legally at the Court. Similar audits took place in 2007 and 2009. On Monday, Harabin requested that an inspection conducted by the Supreme Audit Office (NKU) be carried out at the Court. According to him, executive power - namely, the Finance Ministry - shouldn't be allowed to carry out an audit of the Supreme Court.
Miklos retorted that Harabin is constantly trying to find new reasons to block ministry inspectors. He stressed that the Finance Ministry has the power to look into the spending of public finances and that Harabin can't choose which institution should conduct this task.
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