Lawmakers prepare bill to let State Audit Office audit parliament

Latvia’s parliament is preparing an alternative bill that would give the State Audit Office the right to examine its spending, LSM reported on Wednesday. The Saeima’s Public Administration and Local Government Committee agreed to draft the bill after discussing the issue for the second consecutive week.

Lawmakers have not yet agreed on how broad the audits should be. The committee plans to review the draft next week, after which it could be submitted for consideration by the Saeima.

The committee is considering proposals from three parliamentary groups. All would abolish the current exception that prevents the State Audit Office from auditing the parliament’s spending, but they differ in scope.

Latvia First proposes allowing the State Audit Office to conduct financial audits in the Saeima. The Progressives would also allow it to assess whether spending was efficient and used for its intended purpose.

The Union of Greens and Farmers would give the State Audit Office the right to examine the Saeima’s budget revenues and expenditures, as well as its management of state property. Under that proposal, the assessment of spending efficiency would remain the responsibility of the Saeima’s own committees.

The committee has not yet determined the precise scope of the alternative bill. One option would allow the State Audit Office to assess not only the Saeima’s financial statements but also whether its management of public funds and property was efficient. The other would permit financial audits only.

Some lawmakers have raised concerns that an efficiency audit could lead to political decisions being assessed. The Saeima’s Legal Bureau and the State Audit Office reject that interpretation.

The committee plans to vote on the draft wording next Wednesday. Audits would not take place on a permanent basis; the State Audit Office would conduct them according to its work plan and risk assessment.