SAO audited projects for building and expansion of winter sports resorts
Press Release – November 29, 2010
From December 2009 to July 2010, auditors from the Supreme Audit Office (SAO) scrutinized the programmes for co-funding projects for building and expansion of winter sports resorts within the period from 2004 to 2009. Auditors found insufficiencies namely within the assessment criteria for projects that were co-financed from the state budget. President of the SAO František Dohnal commented upon the negative fact that the Ministry for Regional Development had failed to observe the criterion of sustainability.
“One recipient of the subsidies, the Nová Lhota winter sport resort, failed to open the build-up ski facility by the end of the auditing operation. Despite it, the Ministry’s final report stated that the recipient complied with the conditions and kept to the project’s deadline and objectives without violating the binding regulations of the allowances. Such findings show the shallow nature of the Ministry’s approach to individual projects’ evaluations, which is alarming“, said Dohnal.
Implementation costs of projects for building and expansion of winter sports resorts reached over CZK 796 million; including nearly CZK 596 million from the state budget and EU funds. The auditing operation scrutinized 18 projects for building winter sports resorts with the total construction cost rising to CZK 219 million.
Among the audited bodies were the Centre for Regional Development of the Czech Republic and selected recipients of the subsidies.
The auditing operation was included into 2009 Audit Plan of the SAO under No. 09/28. Zdeněk Brandt, Member of the SAO Board, controlled the operation and prepared the audit conclusion as well.
Mgr. Bc. Radka Burketová
Press Speaker
Supreme Audit Office