BRATISLAVA, October 25, (WEBNOVINY)– Once again the Finance Ministry made an unsuccessful attempt to start a financial audit at the Supreme Court on Monday, which the court refused. “This is a repeated and non-constitutional action by the Ministry of Finance. The Regional Court in Bratislava is already dealing with the dispute. Only the Supreme Audit Office is authorized to audit the Supreme Court. Why does [Finance Minister] Miklos not hurry to audit the Hayek Foundation, but is trying to invade the Supreme Court shortly before the Tipos [lottery company — editor’s note] case is about to end? He is probably afraid that he will have to answer to the Regional Court in Bratislava for unlawfulness. That’s why he is politically preparing the ground for a police swat team raid at the Supreme Court,“ said Supreme Court President Stefan Harabin in response at the attempted start of the audit. The Finance Ministry has been trying to audit the use of public funds at the Supreme Court repeatedly since August 2010. The Supreme Court always refused the audit, which led to it being fined by the Finance Ministry. Both sides are mutually suing each other.
The Finance Ministry argues that the Supreme Court might be fighting to avoid the audit because “Stefan Harabin has something to hide”. Additionally, the ministry informed to have asked the Justice Ministry to start disciplinary action, so that “[Supreme] Court President Stefan Harabin will be able to explain his actions elsewhere, not just give statements for the media. In the meantime, the Finance Ministry will keep trying to bring spending of public funds by the Supreme Court under control of the public.”
Stefan Harabin insists that only the Supreme Audit Office may audit the Supreme Court’s financial management. In August, he claimed that it would be illegal for him to allow an unlawful audit [by the Finance Ministry].
Both the Constitutional Court President Ivetta Macejkova and the ombudsman Pavel Kandrac consider the Finance Ministry auditing the spending of the Supreme Court to be a standard procedure. In the past, the Finance Ministry audited the Supreme Court without any problems.
SITA