The SAO’s recommendations likely to influence new electoral code
PRESS RELEASE: A meeting concerning AO No. 15/36 – November 14, 2016
On November 9th, 2016, representatives of the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Finance, and the Czech Statistical Office met with representatives of the Supreme Audit Office (SAO) at the SAO’s headquarters in Prague to discuss audit results from the SAO’s audit operation No. 15/36, which aimed at funds spent on preparing and holding elections in the period from 2010 to 2014. In the beginning of the meeting, President of the SAO Mr. Miloslav Kala said: “There were two reasons why representatives of all audited bodies were invited to the meeting. First, the SAO would like to contribute to a positive change in the audited field. Second, the SAO would like to be a partner for audited bodies – not only during an audit but also after the auditing operation is finished.”
The objectives of the SAO’s auditing operation No. 15/36 were to examine the efficiency, economy and effectiveness of State budget funds spent on preparing and holding elections and to examine the observance of the legislation concerning the elections’ financing. All attendees to the meeting appreciated the complexity of the audit’s scope as well as the audit’s individual findings. “The SAO auditors aimed at certain issues, which are often unnoticed in our every-day work. The Ministry of the Interior has been preparing a new electoral code, which could benefit from the SAO’s recommendations”, said Director of the General Administration Department of the Ministry of the Interior Mr. Václav Henych. He also said that it would be necessary to discuss such amendments with municipal councils and that the SAO’s audit results could be taken as a beginning of such a discussion.
Director of the Economic and Administrative Section of the Czech Statistical Office Mr. Radoslav Bulíř also welcomed the discussion about possible changes to the structure of election workstations, where election results are processed, and said: “The Czech Statistical Office has proposed shifting of the structure of election workstations namely with regard to the efficiency and effectiveness, and even burdens of individual workstations. The SAO’s insight on the geographical accessibility is offering a new approach to the problem.”
The Ministry of Finance also wants to engage in the changes needed as its competences include financing of elections and subsequent supervision of the expenses. According to the Ministry, some changes could be done rather quickly. For example, decreasing the numbers of the electoral commissions in large towns, where several commissions are seated in one building, usually in a school. The Ministry also wants to implement the SAO’s recommendation in order to create a new methodology for the supervisions, which could be applied for the first time to check expenditures of the recent elections to the Senate and regional councils.
At the end of the meeting, Director of the General Administration Department of the Ministry of the Interior Mr. Václav Henych invited the SAO’s representatives to future negotiations on the new electoral code. President of the SAO Mr. Miloslav Kala thanked for the invitation and promised to participate in such negotiations, provided that there would be no conflict with the SAO’s competences.
Communication Department
Supreme Audit Office