Almost all budget items for which there is no doubt that they were used during the election for unlawful influence on voters, in the proposal for budget for 2015 are significantly increased suggesting that in Montenegro another election might be expected.
In fact, the analysis of the draft of state budget for 2015 shows that the Government despite the modest recources that has, decided to increase precisely those parts of the budget from which in this yeara significant portion of the funds was used in a non-transparent manner, and for which there are suspicions that were used to buy votes during the local election.
MANS this year following the local elections analyzed in details the sources of political corruption, in which in addition to black funds, the State budget has a central position. In the Montenegrin prosecutor’s office is still an extensive documentation attesting to the abuses of one-time social assistance, care and help for others, the Government’s
subsidies for farmers and electricity for households, and abuses relating workers’ severance payment from the Labour Fund. A separate budget item from which the transfers were carried out where were needed during the local elections
was “permanent budget reserve.”
Precisely these budget items show either jump or retention of the amount which in this year compared to last year was significantly higher for local elections.
Thus, the Government of Montenegro for the next year plans to allocate 10 million Euro on the basis of someone else’s care and assistance, which is for the whole two million more than they had allowed. In the explanation of the budget proposal there is no precise explanation of the basis on which the Government expects a larger number of user, or if might plans to increase the amount of compensation.
When it comes to one-time social assistance which during the election in this year was the most commonly used mechanism for the so-called vote-buying, the Government has decided to keep the amount of 1.1 million Euros that they had available this year in the budget. However, this item during the previous year increased on the basis of inside
budget transfers, so it is realistic to expect that it will be higher when the budget for next year is about to be spent. By the suggestion for the budget for the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare is planned for next year 150 thousand Euros for a one-time cash assistance and supply of textbooks, 100 thousand for transfers to individuals on the basis of “social inclusion” and another 200 thousand Euros for the municipalities for the development of social services. When it
comes to PSS Fund, it is planned 300 thousand Euros for the payment of one-time financial assistance, 190 thousand for the “other transfers to institutions”, and additional 300 thousand Euros for the “other transfers institutions. “
The drastic increase comparing to this year have and items related on government subsidies for production and services, that are for 2015 projected in the amount of approximately 21.2 million Euros. This item in this year’s budget was defined in the amount of $ 18.8 million Euros. Within this item the most significant increase record subsidies for
households which have increased from 1.5 to 5.7 million Euros. Individually the largest item in grants for the next year is planned for the Ministry of Agriculture, which will for the subsidies for milk, animal throat and other needs allocate more than 10 million Euros. In connection to this, just the scandal “Snapshot” showed the way in which these grants for farmers are used for the illegal exercise of political influence in the field.
The Government of Montenegro annually allocates the funds for the Labour Fund from which are paid workers’ severance. By the budget draft for the next year the Government has established the amount of 2.3 million Euros, although there is no question whether is it the final amount, and whether it would raise beforeadoption of the final budget. Specifically, when the budget was adopted for this year, the proposal of the Government of Montenegro for severance pay for workers was 1.3 million Euros. During the parliamentary debate on the budget proposal
this amount was increased to 4.3 million Euros by the amendments of the members of the Parliament of the DPS before the local elections, and the real question is whether the amount planned for the upcoming year will remain at the same level as it is in the budget proposal.
Finally, the budget item from which is significantly taken during previous elections is permanent budgetary reserve that is for next year planned in the amount of 14.5 million Euros, while this year for the reserve was planned around 8.8 million Euros. In the proposal of the budget for the next year with this item is planed financing of the regional development projects, support for the investments in northern Montenegro and subsidies for the tourism industry in the north.
In addition, the misuse of these funds for political purposes will be eased in the future period by the fact that the recently adopted Law on financing of political parties do not contain restrictions that at least partially were able to prevent the use of state funds for party purposes before the previous local elections.
Implementation of the budget in previous years, as well as the way in which the taxpayers’ money was spent during pre-election campaigns, showed in these cases that we have pre-conceived system of financing political corruption in which to achieve political results and advantage in the field are used the most vulnerable categories of citizens. Bearing in mind that the budget of this year was in the service of the local elections, there is a huge space for doubt that the Government with the new budget proposal only wants to continue with current practice.
MANS
