Despite the public promise that spending of the money will be public and that deviation from DPS’ practice will be made, the Ministry of Finance has so far not responded to any request for free access to information submitted by MANS, which related to spending citizens’ money during this government’s term.
Since the forming of the Government of Montenegro in December last year, the Ministry of Finance has continuously ignored the MANS’ request to make public the data on transactions carried out through the State Treasury.
MANS therefore filed a complaint to the competent Agency for Free Access to Information, which has so far decided in our favour in all cases. The Ministry ignored these decisions of the Agency as well, continuing to violate the Law on Free Access to Information.
Montenegro did not adopt its budget until last week. Instead, all payments from the State Treasury were made on the basis of decisions on the so-called temporary financing, which were widely criticized by the public. The Ministry of Finance was expected to be motivated to make its work as transparent as possible precisely because of such an emergency situation in public finances, but that did not happen.
Thus, the Ministry of Finance essentially prevented any civilian control over its work, at a time when that control was most needed due to the budget issues.
Upon his appointment, the Minister of Finance, Milojko Spajić, publicly promised that citizens would be informed about every cent spent, while the Government of Montenegro sent a message that free access to information and cooperation with the civil sector is one of the priorities in its future work.
Unfortunately, the reality is quite different because not only is there no proactive publishing of financial data, but after six months of silence regarding MANS’ requests, we are witnessing a lack of political will to apply the Law on Free Access to Information in favour of the public interest.
It is of undisputed public interest that information on how the state money was disposed of in the last six months be made public, as well as that the Ministry of Finance recognize why it is necessary to immediately stop DPS’ practice of withholding data.
Precisely such practice, followed by serious violations of the Law on Free Access to Information, has been immanent to all previous governments in an attempt to conceal evidence of violations of the law and possible corruption.
MANS therefore calls on the Minister Spajić to provide access to the requested data on payments from the State Treasury without delay, and ensure full respect for the Law on Free Access to Information as one of the key tools for the fight against corruption and violations of the law.
MANS
