AMAN, the Executive secretariat of the Civil society team for enhancing public budget transparency, held a follow-up meeting with the Director-General of Budget, Mr. Farid Ghannam, to discuss the Team and the Ministry’sjoint monitoring mechanisms in terms of ensuring the transparency of the planning, circulation,and approval of public budgets.
Ms.Ghada Zghayar, AMAN’s Executive Director, indicated thatcivil society teamhas yet to receive the draft law for the Public Budget and the 2014civil society team. She added, “AMAN is currently collaborating with the International Budget Partnership on a (two year) survey to monitor the Public Budget, which is implemented in partnership with various institutions in (100)countries. The survey aims to measure thetransparency levelof the Public Budget in the participating countries and to monitor the volume of information published by the government on its electronic pages; particularly the Ministry of Finance webpage.”
Researcher Moaid Afaneh, coordinator of the Budget follow-up survey, relayed that his research method relies mainly on visiting the Ministry’s webpage and scrutinizing all data available on the page. He further pointed to the key role the Ministry of Finance could play with regard to this survey. The Director General of Budget, Mr. Ghannam, confirmed that he shall provide the Team with the National Budget within ten days. He also confirmed that the Budget draft law will be published immediately upon approval by the President of the Palestinian National Authority.
Both parties are currently in agreement that the National Team shallhold another meeting with the Director General of budget to discuss the Team's observations regarding the 2013 Budget, as well as the problems uncovered by the National Team for Supporting the Transparency of the Public Budget, during its meetings with the Ministries of Health, Education, and social affairs during their preparation for their 2014 budgets.
AMAN is showing great concerned regarding the Ministry of Finance lack of commitment to providing the National Team with the required information on the 2014draft budget. It is customary for this information to be available for the Team’s use prior to approving the budget draft law. This practice is carried out to allow Civil Society Organizations to participate in reviewing the budget and to propose any suggestions they may have. The MOF refusal to cooperate is indicative of a change in its policy regarding the important role played by the civil society.
