TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
AIS Newsletter, October 2015TRANSPARENCY
AIS discloses data on Economic Damages caused to the Public Procurement sector
AIS disclosed in its Money & Government & Politics framework data on economic damage audited by the High State Audit during the last six years. The focus has been on issues of Public Procurement and Economic Damage caused in some municipalities, whose mayors were reelected in the 21st of June Elections. Specifically data are published for municipalities of Durrës, Vora, Kamza, Elbasan, Himara and Kavaja. These indicators are part of the efforts done in the transparency and accountability process. Data can be found in the Economic Damage Section of Open Spending Albania.
CIVIC ENGAGEMET
Network of Journalists contributing to the Open Spending Initiative
The Open Spending Initiative is an effort of AIS to establish a network of affirmed local journalists that will inform the public on how the tax payers’ money is spent and public assets are managed. The first workshop, held in October 10th, presented dozens of journalists with several instruments and well-structured data, which increase the level of information and citizen monitoring capability on budgeting institutions and public assets. Media representatives are considered as a partner of AIS in the implementation of projects in Transparency and Open Data. The scope of the initiative is to create a model of Open Data Journalism by fostering the use of Open & Linked Data.
ACCOUNTABILITY
Concessions 2015: accountability over concessionary contracts
Throughout 2015 and onward, the government of Albania has set as a priority the application of public-private partnerships in services and public works. Concessionary contracts are of particular importance as the private sector has the right to use assets and public money for a long term period. Through the use of linked open data, journalists verified at least three cases of companies contracted that have strong economic ties to high level officials. Data about companies at Open Corporates Albania interlinked with the concessionary contracts and the declaration of assets of high public officials reveal the existing conflicts of interest.