Serafim Urechean: All institutions using public means will be inspected by Audit Chamber

Serafim Urechean

An exclusive interview with the Chair of the Audit Chamber of Moldova, Serafim Urechean.

Mr. Urechean, what are your main goals at the post of the Audit Chamber’s (AC) Chair?

First of all, I pledged to transform the institution into a democratic and absolutely transparent one. Besides, jointly with the Government and Parliament we set ourselves the task of promoting the efficiency of public means and property use. It must be admitted that condition in all these fields of Moldova leaves much to be desired. Now, 80 auditors work in the Audit Chamber, which is too little to ensure efficient AC activities, therefore a legislative initiative to increase audit staff by 10 units has been proposed.

The auditing is a long process as audits may work at an object for months and even years, and our main goal is not only to reveal any violations, but also to cover negative process in the respect of public means use. For this purpose, we will propose authorities to improve the legislative mechanism to block the road of every possible infringement. We undertake the task of that every year not a primaria [local executive authority], local or raion council, ministry or any other institution using public property and means would not avoid severe control of the independent institution. Besides, it is very important to hold a monitoring of foreign credits too, as well as use of capital investment in all sectors, where public means must be in safety and used transparently.

In order to make the Audit Chamber functional, AC members must be also appointed. Now, leaders of parliamentary factions hold negotiations on the AC member appointment. I hope the Parliament will soon approve the new composition of the AC. One has already prepared materials for the 1st meeting.

At your appointment to the AC Chair post, people said that it is a bad decision, as you are a politician and a person approximated to the Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova’s (LDPM) leader after the AMN [party Our Moldova Alliance] merger with the LDPM. What can you say about that?

The decision to unite was conscious, as it was related to, first of all, strengthening of democratic powers of Moldova. Immediately after my appointment to the post, I said that I am not a member of any party. I state will all responsibility that I am an independent personality, which means beyond politics.

Over 3 months of work, did you fire anyone?

No, and I do not even intend to do that. So far I analyze and go in for monitoring of condition in the institution I lead. At the same time I say with all responsibility that those who have been at the cookie jar, and they are a lot unfortunately, will not escape what they deserve.

What do you intend to change in the AC?

Before the Parliament appoints AC members I have the possibility to learn about all fields of activities of the institution. I arrived to conclusion that it is necessary to change the AC body structure as its efficiency unfortunately leaves much to be desired. Of course, the main emphasis in the AC work will be laid on final product – audit results. Our goal is that quality work of auditors and not the way it looks the facade and interior of the Audit Chamber edifice is assumed as a basis of the AC activities. We will look good when will achieve good results.

When you got the post you said that you will make the AC serves people, and every leu is under public control. How one can achieve that?

One can not attain it in 1-2 days. The process is quite difficult, requiring a lot of time. I can say for sure the AC activities will become absolutely transparent yet from the 1st meeting. We also project our presence in the media, change of the AC website, where we intend to publish all materials of the Audit Chamber.

Over the time past since your appointment to the post, did you realize in full the idea that you are a civil servant put in the service of national interests?

I must confess that it is quite difficult to get used to and to go in for a more quite activities, if one takes into consideration that up to date I had a very dynamic work. Despite it, experience accumulated in many years will help me work at the new post. Recently I was at a Congress of European Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (EUROSAI), where I met the acquaintance of audit chamber chairs. All they held high state posts recently. The actual Russian AC Chair – Sergei Stepashkin – is former Prime Minister of the Russian Federation. The same condition occurred in Romania, where Nicolae Vacaroiu was Premier and Chair of the Senate. It means that all they have a rich political experience. People must understand the AC does not have the task to chop heads, but promote improvement of legislative mechanism to make public money theft impossible.

What qualities must be characteristic for the AC chair and members?

I think we have no end of work in this field. Concerning the chair and members of the Audit Chamber, of course they must be well trained and not only in the field of audit, finance and public property or investment. It is very important that they see ways of the law evasion and make new legislative initiatives, based on which it will be impossible to steal public property. At the same time, auditors must be well trained people; therefore the AC promotes the improvement of their professional level.

Do leaderships of enterprises and state organs subjected to AC inspections feel any fear to the AC or take it for granted?

Naturally, someone is very alerted at the Serafim Urechean’s appointment to the post as they know that one can not force me work by order or bribe me. Of course people, who realize that infringed a law, stole public means, are somewhat concerned that we will reveal the violations. And I would like to assure everyone that where we reveal them, they will be exposed. Jointly with law enforcement agencies of Moldova we will make contribution to justice restoration. At the same time we will do all possible to reveal tendencies of state money theft that may appear at wrong law interpretation. All this can be eliminated only at the legislative and regulatory mechanism improvement, what we intend to do.

Former AC leadership was repeatedly accused of that it is a pressure instrument in power hands. What is your attitude towards it?

It is no secret that I was always under the gun of the AC in times when the institution was governed from without. On the threshold of a number of elections, framed-up ordered cases or discreditable materials against me or colleagues appeared. I still keep the documents that were given to me by people from the President machinery. The time will come and I will make them public. Subject to all this, I set myself the task of eliminating politics from the AC activities. Moreover, I will do all possible to eliminate the idea itself of people employed here on that anyone at any time may intervene in our activities. I had to suffer enough due to the illegal intervention of the Audit Chamber in my activities, thus I want to root out it during my mandate.

What the Audit Chamber needs the most?

The Audit Chamber needs a team feeling, elimination of the syndrome of fear one to another in work. Moreover, one can feel the separation of employees into ours and yours, which creates a tense condition in the team. Thus, we will apply all efforts to transform the staff into a team, where first of all reciprocal trust will reign; into a team that will not waste forces to get square with each other, but on actions to improve the AC work efficiency.

INFOTAG