Auditor criticizes Parliament's spending on anniversary celebrations

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An independent auditor monitoring the finances and administration of the Finnish Parliament has indicated a number of faults and oversights in the expenditures and decision-making process regarding Parliament's centennial celebrations.
      The information is based on a confidential memorandum that was submitted to the parliamentary auditors recently.
      The parliamentary auditors will have a meeting on Thursday in order to hear the comments of Seppo Tiitinen, the Secretary General of Parliament, on the memorandum.
     
The unicameral Parliament's accounts are audited by three MPs and an independent auditor, who performs the technical audit. Occasionally he or she is also asked to draw up separate audit memoranda. In September, Members of Parliament asked for a separate document recording the spending on the centennial celebrations.
      The independent auditor - an authorised public accountant - paid attention to several projects relating to the centenary and found them all lacking.
      The auditor pointed out for example that the venue of the main celebrations had not been subject to a formal bidding process. Secretary General Tiitinen was negotiating the arrangements as a representative of the Parliament, while at the same time being the Chairman of the Board of the Finnish National Opera. The venue chosen was the National Opera.
      Furthermore, the auditor criticized the inaccurate budgeting practices of the various centennial projects. Also cost control was found to be less than reliable.
     
The Finnish Parliament is celebrating its centenary in 2006-2007. In the summer of 2005 the estimated cost of the celebrations was EUR 3.7 million.
      In the spring of this year, when the first events took place, the figure had risen to EUR 6 million, but it was noted that the final sum would not be known until after the end of the period.
      The largest single cost item is a 12-volume historical opus. An illustrated book celebrating the 100 years, with an price-tag of around EUR 250,000, has also come in for some comment.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Green MP criticises Russia at centenary celebration of Finnish Parliament (2.6.2006)

Links:
  Parliament celebrates its centennial in 2006-2007

Helsingin Sanomat