The SAO performed an audit of grants for art schools
Press Release – June 17, 2008
From September 2007 to February 2008, the auditors from the Supreme Audit Office (SAO) performed an audit that focused on utilization of financial resources provided for art schools from the state budget chapter Ministry of Education in 2005 and 2006. They also audited management of funds earmarked for realization of the projects listed into the informational system of programme financing (ISPROFIN), which were included into the Material and Technical Development Programme of art schools.
The audited bodies were the Ministry of Education and art schools, the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, the Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Brno, and the Academy of Arts, Architecture, and Design in Prague.
"The art schools violated the law of public orders and the budgetary rules when utilizing the subsidies, the inaccuracy reached over CZK 900 thousand. The internal control system did not follow the programme rules for drawing of the financial resources or the law of financial audit. In addition, the law of accounting and the edict concerning the state participation at financial support of the property reproduction programmes were violated too", said František Dohnal, president of the SAO.
No statutory regulations for the utilization of grants and subsidies provided for the programme activities had been released when the auditing operation was about to finish. By the time the audit was accomplished, the amendment to the programme documents had not been submitted for a governmental approval.
"The insufficiencies found during the audit at the Ministry of Educations cannot be classified as crimes, but the audit findings showed a proof that the system shortage leads to serious statutory offences,“ added Dohnal.
The auditing operation was included into the 2007 Audit Plan of the SAO under number 07/24. Jaromíra Steidlová, Member of the SAO Board, controlled the operation and drew up the audit report as well.
Radka Burketová
Press Speaker
Supreme Audit Office