Finances - Court of Auditors criticizes funding practice and lack of control
In its 2023 annual report, the Saxon Court of Audit criticized the funding practice in several cases and identified deficiencies in the control process. At the same time, parts of the financial policy and the increase in the number of state employees were criticized. In a special report, the authority gave the Ministry of Social Affairs poor marks for the implementation of a funding guideline for refugee integration measures.
It had already become known in the summer that the Court of Auditors saw numerous signs of "behavior lacking integrity" and "structures at risk of corruption" in the allocation of funds in the Ministry of Social Affairs. Minister Petra Köpping (SPD) then announced changes to the allocation guidelines and dismissed her State Secretary Sebastian Vogel.
The auditors' assessment of the "Integrative Measures" funding guideline is sobering. The auditors attest that the ministry acted unlawfully to an "extraordinary degree". No evidence of personal misconduct on the part of Minister Petra Köpping(SPD) was found. However, almost every one of the more than 100 procedural files examined was found to have significant deficiencies. In particular, funding from the years 2016 to 2019 was audited.
"The funding was largely uncontrolled in terms of content and technical aspects. The impression arose that it was often more about who was being funded and less about the purpose," emphasized Court of Audit Director Gerold Böhmer. The special report mentions a lack of control, a non-transparent administrative procedure, deficits in file management and a lack of monitoring.
"In the case of projects that were improperly funded, a reclaim must be examined and initiated if necessary," the report states. "We have seen the danger that something is generally slipping here, where we have to say: Be careful at the platform edge. This cannot be allowed to continue," said Böhmer.
Following the publication of the annual report on Thursday, Köpping rejected allegations of legal violations due to conflicts of interest and bias. "We did the right thing. But we didn't always do it right. We have learned from this, taken action and drawn extensive consequences," emphasized the Minister. A new funding guideline is already in force, but does not fully satisfy the Court of Auditors.
The ministry reiterated that the audited guideline was created at a time when tens of thousands of refugees arrived in Saxony within a few weeks and action had to be taken quickly to accommodate and care for those affected. "I very much regret that the deficiencies in the implementation of the funding made the entire procedure vulnerable," said Köpping.
In the actual annual report, the Court of Audit once again criticized the growing number of state employees. The personnel budget is increasingly entering an "overheated mode". "Instead of stopping the increase in jobs, it is becoming more and more dynamic," criticized Director Isolde Haag. Despite the number of inhabitants remaining the same or falling and despite a shortage of skilled workers, more and more positions are being budgeted for, of which fewer and fewer can be filled.
According to the SRH, total personnel expenditure now amounts to more than eight billion euros per year and accounts for around 40 percent of the total budget. There is an urgent need to reduce tasks and optimize and digitalize business processes. This is the only way to prevent further escalation in personnel expenditure. "Mere announcements that we want to do this are not enough."
The Court of Audit has identified a funding gap of 12.7 billion euros in pensions for former civil servants. "The shortfall in pension obligations and the increase in debt illustrate a further deterioration in the financial situation of the Free State. We can only urge you to take these signals seriously and take countermeasures," explained Jens Michel, President of the Court of Audit.
Other passages in the report seem rather bizarre. "At Lake Berzdorf, the Free State has funded a road to open up a new campsite. The road has been ready since the end of 2018. However, there is still no campsite. Instead, the city of Görlitz now wants to build the campsite at a different location. The road that was built is therefore not necessary."
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Source: www.stern.de
