The Office of Košice City’s Main Auditor has reported serious shortcomings in the way that organisation responsible for the Košice: European Capital of Culture 2013 event has been managed over the last year. The audit has highlighted instances where purchases have been made under suspicious circumstances.
In some cases goods and services were purchased without existing tenders being in place, even though the public procurement processes required all sums to be disclosed by law. Additionally, the auditor’s office reports that invoices were lacking vital information on the extent of the services rendered.
The accusations of financial misconduct have been rejected by Ján Sudzina, the director of the organisation. Sudzina refused to sign the audit, explaining that the only shortcomings which exist have already been remedied. According to him, no laws have been broken in regards to public procurement. Košice city’s main auditor Hana Jakubíková has presented her report on the audit results to the Košice City Council. Upon receiving the audit the mayor of Košice Richard Raši added that, “Someone is not telling the truth here, either one side or the other”.
