On Tuesday, Parliament approved the widely criticised amendment to the Public Procurement Act.
While the original proposal stated that the Finance Ministry should assign commissions that don't exceed a certain price limit without calling a tender, the approved legislation suggest that the power to deal with such commissions will be given to the Government. Among other changes, the entities conducting a given public procurement will have an internet profile that will be accessible to the public for free. Profiles will display the entire process of a public procurement from the submission of basic contest data up to assessments of whether the winner has been meeting set criteria; vis-a-vis supplying the agreed goods or services. In addition, there will be a new notification system aimed at sending information involving newly issued tenders to its subscribers. The system should increase the number of participants joining public tenders.
The new amendment will also introduce so-called electronic market for procuring ordinary goods, services and construction work in the case of commissions that do not exceed a certain price limit. "This will be an electronic shopping system that will make it possible to purchase ordinary items within just three working days. It's supposed to make purchases easier and faster and to enable everyone to keep an eye on purchases made by the state at the same time," stated the Interior Ministry. The amended legislation will create a nine-member Public Procurement Office Council, which will serve as an appeal body. The new guidelines will come into force in July.
Lucia Pazičová
