The High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch, on Monday issued a decision establishing a Special Auditor for the 10 Cantons in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, at the same time appointing Mrs Dale Ellen Ralph to the new post.
Until now, transparency in government expenditure has been seriously lacking at Cantonal level in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and there have been also no independent audit institutions.
In order to safeguard public funds at Cantonal level, the Special Auditor and her team will review to make sure Canton authorities have taken all reasonable precautions to safeguard the collection and custody of revenues and ensure their proper use, according to the law. Furthermore, the Special Auditor will give recommendations aimed at strengthening the Cantons’ regulation of finances according to internationally recognised standards of transparency.
The High Representative expects full cooperation from Cantonal governments and other relevant authorities to ensure that the work of the Special Auditor is implemented, to the benefit of the tax-payers they represent.