The Accounts Chamber reported on the work for 2021

The Accounts Chamber did not reduce the intensity of control in 2021, despite the quarantine measures. The activity was carried out in all directions provided by the legislation. This was reported to the deputies of the Supreme Council by acting Chairperson of the Accounts Chamber Svetlana Izmesteva, presenting a report on the work of the control body over the past year. A total of 53 checks were carried out, 3 of them on behalf of the Supreme Council. In addition, the Accounts Chamber provided opinions on legislations that were sent for financial and economic expertise.

As Svetlana Izmestyeva noted, the results of control measures show the presence of violations in the budget legislation, which are allowed both at the planning stage and at the stage of actual use of budget funds. There are violations of the law in the management of municipal property, in the field of accounting, housing and communal services, state regulation of prices and tariffs.

Svetlana Izmestyeva focused in her report on the declining, but still continuing trend of unauthorized accounts payable and exceeding the approved financing limits for fuel and energy resources.

As the Chairperson of the Accounts Chamber noted, unauthorized accounts payable may arise if there are questions on fuel and energy resources. This may be due to an increase in the heating period or the introduction of additional power. According to Svetlana Izmestyeva, this issue is being resolved, if there are objective circumstances, these limits can be adjusted before the end of the financial year. The second point is related to improper control by the main managers of budgetary funds when the established limits are exceeded.

The Accounts Chamber conducted inspections regarding the implementation of measures to combat coronavirus last year. For example, surcharges were charged in excess of the established amounts. The facts of the acquisition of medicines at the expense of patients, including both for concomitant diseases and for the fight against covid, were revealed.

A separate topic is the organization of preferential and paid meals in municipal educational institutions. A comprehensive check was carried out in all cities and districts.

Svetlana Izmestyeva said that a working group has been created under the Government, a representative of the Accounts Chamber is participating in the discussion to develop proposals to resolve this issue.

Inspections were carried out of organizations in the housing and communal services sector in 2021, as well as on the functioning of budget funds, in particular for the Road Fund and the Capital Investment Fund. The Accounts Chamber has questions about work planning, a better definition of a contractor, and increase in the cost of materials and salaries to employees.

As Svetlana Izmestyeva noted, there are facts that salaries are included in the acts of work performed, contractors receive money from the state budget, but in fact they pay builders in a smaller amount.

The Chairperson of the Accounts Chamber noted at the end of the discussion  that checks are currently being carried out on behalf of the Supreme Council, as well as within the framework of current control. This year, the department will pay attention to checks on a number of target budget funds. There are questions to the Road Fund and a number of targeted programs, Svetlana Izmestyeva noted. Checks will continue in the housing and communal services sector and in the regulated prices and tariffs formation.

Deputies of the Supreme Council approved the report of the Accounts Chamber for 2021 by adopting the relevant Resolution of the Parliament.