audit office

Audit report reveals compliance gaps in Ministry of Justice

by
Audit report reveals compliance gaps in Ministry of Justice

The Audit Service report on the Ministry of Justice highlights several issues, including non-compliance with laws and regulations, deficiencies in expense control, and incomplete adherence to General Accounting Office circulars. It covers the administration of the ministry, prisons, and the fire service, with a special report on the police published in 2023. The report recommends establishing a reliable internal control system for compliance and monitoring. It notes that some NGOs have not submitted required documentation for funded programs, suggesting legal action to recover funds and possibly withholding future grants. The Ministry of Finance reported an outstanding return of €3,700 from programs/actions in 2017 and 2021, with a Grants Scheme amendment under consideration. Additionally, it highlights the issue of supervisors for released prisoners being overburdened, suggesting a cap on the number of prisoners per supervisor. The report also points out discrepancies in prisoner account balances and unregistered transactions in violation of General Accounting Office provisions. Lastly, it recommends withholding increments for temporary guards who have not passed required exams.

Audit office raises illegalities at justice ministry

by
Audit office raises illegalities at justice ministry

The Audit Office reported that the justice ministry needs to develop a reliable internal audit system for receipts and payments, highlighting weaknesses in compliance with relevant laws and regulations regarding spending for the fiscal year 2022. It found irregularities in the disbursement of down payments for programmes related to the National Mechanism for Women’s Rights, with payments made without supporting documentation for actual expenditures. The Audit Office recommends legal action against recipients of these funds and deducting the amount given from the next state grant if beneficiaries also receive an annual state grant. It noted issues with invoices under the National Mechanism for Women’s Rights lacking supplier details and receipt dates. The report also mentioned that parole supervisors are overburdened, affecting their performance, and recommended setting a maximum number of parolees per supervisor. Additionally, it flagged the use of a building by the justice ministry without a final certificate of approval, a discrepancy in inmate account balances at prisons, and overpayments to two retired prison guards. The fire service was noted for not having dedicated functionaries to check invoices before payments, and a separate report was published for the police force in November 2023.

Absence of trust in justice

by
Absence of trust in justice

A poll by Phileleftheros, conducted by Pulse Market Research, found that the Attorney General and the Deputy Attorney General do not satisfy citizens with their work, with only 29% of citizens responding positively about the Attorney General and 24% about the Deputy Attorney General. In contrast, 71% of citizens are satisfied with the work of the Auditor General. The poll also indicated that the negative stance towards the Attorney General is consistent across all party lines, with 51% of DISY voters, 66% of AKEL voters, and 61% of DIKO voters expressing a negative opinion. The President of the Republic has expressed intentions for institutional changes in the Audit Office, which has been met with immediate reaction from Odysseas Michaelides, the Auditor General. Additionally, the European Social Survey conducted by the University of Cyprus showed that the levels of trust in Justice are low, with an average of 4.39 out of 10.

Pensions and state salaries paid together , ‘illegal’

by
Pensions and state salaries paid together , ‘illegal’

The auditor-general’s office has called on the Treasury to immediately stop the practice of paying pensions to currently serving state officials, as it violates relevant laws. This issue was highlighted in the Audit Office’s special report on the Treasury for the year 2022. The report also mentioned that about 160 state officials, both retired and currently serving, are receiving multiple pensions, including high-ranking officials like the president and four ministers. Additionally, the report criticized the Treasury for not applying public-sector wage cuts, as stipulated in the 2013 bailout deal, to judges hired after the legislation was passed, a practice that continued until August 2021. Furthermore, the Treasury was found to have inadequately checked adherence to schemes for subsidized loans for businesses and new home loans during the coronavirus pandemic, with some cases lacking necessary supporting documentation.