Even in emergency situations, state institutions must follow transparency and economy - SAO
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The National Authority for External Audit prepared a summary report of its findings, which it sent to Prime Minister Robert Fico, Health Minister Zuzana Dolinková, the chairman of the parliamentary health committee Vladimír Baláž, the chief hygienist Tatiana Červeňová and the leadership of self-government associations. At the same time, the head of the auditors recalls that "Slovakia managed the emergency situation thanks to the active involvement of local governments, and most of the responsibility was taken over by hygienists and doctors."
Slovakia recorded the first case of COVID-19 on 6 March 2020. A state of emergency was declared ten days later and various measures were taken over the next two years. The SAO has so far carried out five audits, three analyses, and selected aspects of the pandemic, which have been included in the opinions on the draft state budget and state final accounts. The SAO's activities have focused on pandemic management and providing necessary material, business, education and local government. The findings highlighted issues related to the efficiency, economy and effectiveness of using funds during the pandemic. "After the first wave of the pandemic, despite warnings, measures were not taken to make the response to the second wave more flexible. Problems persisted in the State Material Reserve Administration, the Security Council, as well as in the Pandemic Commission," pointed out Ľ. Andrassy. The SAO is currently finalising an audit of the purchase, storage and disposal of vaccines against COVID-19, the results of which will be sent to Slovak state institutions, as well as to the European Court of Auditors and the European Parliament. SAO analysts have also started collecting data on expenditure on mobile sampling points, the so-called MOMs. Based on a risk analysis, a decision on a possible audit will be taken.
The full text of the press release about this issue in Slovak language is available here.