Podgorica, (MINA-BUSINESS) – In its comments on the Draft Amendments to the Law on Public Procurement, the Institute Alternative (IA) raised concerns about the abolition of the public procurement inspectorate and pointed to the budget inspectorate’s lack of capacity to oversee contract implementation.

“Through the public consultation, we submitted comments to the Ministry of Finance on the Draft Amendments to the Law on Public Procurement. We are calling for the extension of anti-corruption measures to simple and direct procurements, the introduction of misdemeanour sanctions for violations related to this type of procurement, as well as improvements in reporting on market research,” IA stated in a press release, signed by Dragana Jacimovic.

She said that the Draft Amendments introduce clearer definitions of corruption in public procurement, mandatory market analysis, as previously recommended by the NGO, and envisage strengthening control over contract implementation. 

In addition, the Draft includes certain changes that may prove problematic in practice.

“We proposed that supervision over the implementation of the law should continue to be carried out through public procurement inspectors, in accordance with the Law on Public Procurement and the law regulating inspection supervision. The Draft effectively provides for the abolition of the public procurement inspectorate, while its responsibilities are taken over by the Ministry of Finance, without specifying that the nature of this oversight will be inspection-based and conducted according to the rules of the systemic law regulating inspection supervision,” Jacimovic said.