The prosecutor's office found financial violations in the work of the department

The prosecutor's office found financial violations in the use of budget funds by the Ministry of Justice of Bashkiria. Materials were sent to the Republican Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee under the Prosecutor's Office of the Russian Federation for making a decision on initiating a criminal case. According to the supervisory authority, a year and a half ago, the ministry arranged an advance payment for the purchase of a Gazelle minibus from one of the private companies worth 370 thousand rubles. The car was not delivered, and the department did not demand the money back, according to the supervisory authority. The Ministry of Justice considered the suspicions of the prosecutor's office to be groundless.

The press service of the Bashkortostan Prosecutor's Office reported yesterday that a prosecutor's audit carried out by the Republic's Ministry of Justice revealed the fact of financial violations in the use of budget funds. As the press service explained to Kommersant yesterday, the inspection was carried out after the territorial department of Rosfinnadzor identified violations of financial discipline and financial and budgetary legislation in the ministry. Thus, during the audit it turned out that in December 2008 the Ministry of Justice entered into a government contract with the company L LLC. The company undertook to supply the ministry with a GAZ 322132-408 car worth 370 thousand rubles.

According to the terms of the contract, the ministry was to transfer 70% of the contract amount to the supplier’s account only after delivery of the minibus. But in violation of the Budget Code of the Russian Federation and the terms of the contract, despite the fact that the car was not delivered, by a payment order dated December 30, 2008, one of the deputy ministers ordered, according to the prosecutor’s office, to make a full settlement with the supplier. At the same time, it turned out during the audit that the deputy minister did not have the right to sign such financial documents. The Bashkortostan prosecutor's office refused to name the signatory, adding that the official still works for the ministry. According to Kommersant, there are two deputy ministers working in the Ministry of Justice of Bashkiria - Nailya Galeeva and Svetlana Parfenova. Ms. Galeeva found it difficult to comment on the situation yesterday; Ms. Parfenova’s phone was not answered.

The press service of the prosecutor's office of the republic clarified that the purchased car has not yet been delivered to the Ministry of Justice of the republic, and the funds paid by the ministry have not been returned to it. “The republic suffered damage in the amount of 370 thousand rubles,” the supervisory agency stated. Last Monday, Deputy Prosecutor of the Republic of Belarus Gulnara Bikbulatova sent the inspection materials to the investigative department of the Investigative Committee of the Investigative Committee “to give the indicated actions an appropriate assessment.” Senior assistant to the head of the SKP Investigative Committee Svetlana Abramova told Kommersant yesterday that the materials have not yet been received.

The Ministry of Justice does not agree with the prosecutor's claims. The ministry's press secretary, Guzel Ganeeva, confirmed yesterday to Kommersant that a government contract for the supply of Gazelle was concluded in December 2008 and that the car was not delivered within the timeframe specified in the contract. At the same time, Ms. Ganeeva emphasized, the ministry filed a claim for recovery of the cost of the car from the company L LLC to the Moscow Arbitration Court. “On July 24, 2009, the court made a decision to recover funds in the amount of the cost of the car from LLC L, and issued writs of execution. Currently, the execution of the decision of the Moscow Arbitration Court is carried out by the Office of the Federal Bailiff Service for the city of Moscow,” noted a representative of the Ministry of Justice. She also explained that the investigative department of the Internal Affairs Directorate for the Sovetsky district of Kazan has opened a criminal case against the managers of LLC L who committed fraudulent acts.

Experts believe that the claims of law enforcement agencies to the Ministry of Justice are also politically motivated and are associated with a revision of the structure of the regional government, including the possible liquidation of the Ministry of Justice of Bashkiria. According to lawyer Filyus Ismagilov, the ministry in its previous status “was necessary for the former leadership of the republic for political reasons - as an attribute of the sovereignty of the republic and a lever of influence on the judicial community.” “There was a time when almost the entire judicial system was controlled by the leadership of the republic; later this sphere of influence was reduced to the control of justices of the peace,” recalled Mr. Ismagilov. Now, after the loss of many functions, the ministry “can be liquidated without damage to the state and society,” and its functions are distributed among other structures “in the interests of saving budget funds,” the expert is sure.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Justice of Bashkiria itself yesterday officially denied rumors about the possible liquidation of the department, as well as media reports about the resignation of its head Fanil Safin. According to the press service, the information about Mr. Safin’s dismissal is not true; he continues to serve as head of the Ministry of Justice in accordance with the decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus dated July 20 “On the continuation of the performance of its duties by the government of the Republic of Belarus until the formation of a new government of the republic.”

Gulchachak Khannanova

"Gazelle" let the Ministry of Justice down to business