A recent report by the Federal Audit Office reveals significant spending irregularities within the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office Oversight Authority (AB-BA). The audit highlights expensive special services, excessive equipment, and underutilized consulting contracts, raising questions about financial prudence within the body tasked with overseeing serious crime investigations.
Key Takeaways
- AB-BA spent 13,200 francs annually on a VIP IT service for its president.
- The authority provided six of its seven members with two laptops each, costing 14,400 francs yearly.
- AB-BA uses 48 square meters of office space per full-time employee, significantly more than the federal average of 18 square meters.
- An external consulting contract for media monitoring yielded few results despite costing 1,750 francs per month.
- The AB-BA has accepted the criticism regarding IT services and extra laptops, promising changes.
Federal Audit Uncovers Expensive Practices
The Federal Audit Office recently published a report detailing concerns about the spending habits of the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office Oversight Authority (AB-BA). This authority oversees federal prosecutors handling serious crimes like terrorism, counterfeiting, and organized crime. The report points to several costly special arrangements within the AB-BA itself.
One of the most notable findings is a special IT VIP service for the president. This service costs the federal government 13,200 francs annually. This amount is considerably higher than standard IT support services provided across federal agencies.
Fact Check
The Federal Audit Office estimates the cost of additional laptops for AB-BA members at approximately 14,400 francs per year.
Excessive Equipment and Office Space
The audit also revealed that six out of seven AB-BA members possess two laptops each. The secretariat justified this by citing complex software updates required within the federal network. However, the Federal Audit Office considers this unusual for a small authority, estimating the cost of these additional devices at around 14,400 francs per year.
Office space usage also drew criticism. The AB-BA currently utilizes approximately 48 square meters per full-time position. This stands in stark contrast to the federal average, which is just over 18 square meters per employee. Adopting the federal standard could lead to annual savings of around 30,000 francs, according to the audit findings.
Understanding the AB-BA
The Federal Public Prosecutor's Office Oversight Authority (AB-BA) ensures accountability and proper conduct within the federal prosecution service. This service investigates serious offenses that affect national security and public order, making the oversight body's role crucial for maintaining public trust.
Underperforming Consulting Contract
A third area of concern highlighted in the report involves an external consulting contract. This contract includes a media monitoring service, essentially paid newspaper readers who track mentions of the AB-BA in the press. The service is allocated five hours per month and costs 1,750 francs.
The Federal Audit Office found that the secretariat receives almost no useful results from this service. This is likely because the AB-BA is not an authority frequently reported on in the media. The audit therefore recommends a swift review of this contract and its potential termination.
"The secretariat receives no product for these costs," the Federal Audit Office stated in its report.
AB-BA Acknowledges Findings and Plans Changes
In response to the audit, the AB-BA has shown a willingness to accept the criticism. The authority acknowledges the issues related to the VIP IT service and the additional laptops. Moving forward, the AB-BA plans to replace the expensive special IT service with a more cost-effective option.
For software updates, the authority intends to implement individual solutions. They note that certain updates will still require processing within the federal network, which may increase workload for members. However, the commitment to address these financial inefficiencies marks a step towards greater accountability.
- The AB-BA will adopt a cheaper IT solution.
- Individual software update strategies will be implemented.
- Review of the media monitoring contract is underway.
This scrutiny underscores the importance of transparent financial management even within oversight bodies. The commitment to change suggests a path towards more responsible use of public funds.