The USAID RADA Next Generation Program and the Westminster Foundation for Democracy organized a public discussion on strengthening the role of the Parliament in the budget process on July 12. Over 80 participants joined the event, namely MPs, representatives of the leadership, committees and the Secretariat of the Verkhovna Rada, the Ministry of Finance, the Accounting Chamber, international experts, donors and the civil society.
The Program seeks to assist the VRU to improve the budget process, in particular by establishing a parliamentary budget office. The participants were generally positive about this idea, but emphasized that the model and some issues need to be determined first.
The Director of the Office of Democracy and Governance of USAID Mission to Ukraine Ann Hopper addressed the participants with the following words: “The control of the state budget funds is one of the important roles of the parliament and is a sign of democracy. This is especially critical in wartime.
Today, we are talking about tools and ways to strengthen the role of the parliament in the budget process, and we are studying European models of parliamentary budget offices. We need to make sure that the model you create best meets the needs of Ukraine. The USAID is also happy to support the interaction between the Accounting Chamber and the similar body in the US Congress. It is important to understand how to better control budget funds, how to strengthen audit and control functions not only over the Ukrainian budget funds, but also over those provided by donors.
That is why we support the USAID RADA Next Generation Program in the way it facilitates the Parliament in reforming and strengthening legislation on the way to a more successful, happy, democratic and prosperous future for Ukraine as a European state.”
The First Vice Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Oleksandr Korniyenko noted that even in times of war, the parliament is ready to “move to a civilized way of controlling the budget, not only through the Accounting Chamber, but also through analytical institutions that, in particular, will provide more material for forecasting.” However, in his opinion, the issue of financing is problematic, as all funds are currently spent on defense, so he thanked donors for their support.
The Chairwoman of the VRU Budget Committee Roksolana Pidlasa and the Chief of Staff of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Secretariat Viacheslav Shtuchnyi mentioned that for the newly created office to work effectively, it is important that it does not duplicate the functions of the Committee's secretariat and reflects the European practice. At the same time, the First Deputy Minister of Finance Denys Uliutin underlined that the emergence of such a new parliamentary structure should improve the budget process and not complicate it.
During the event, the experts of the USAID RADA Next Generation Program outlined the models of budget offices in European parliaments and the needs of the Verkhovna Rada. The participants exchanged views on the necessary changes in the course of preparation, examination, discussion and adoption of the State Budget, as well as during the financial and economic justification of laws, and the possibility of creation of the budget office.
