2005 discharge: European Agency for Reconstruction
PURPOSE: presentation of the final accounts of the European Agency for Reconstruction (EAR) for the financial year 2005.
CONTENT: this document published in the Official Journal of the EU sets out a detailed account of the implementation of the 2005 budget, including the revenue and expenditure and the balance sheet for the year concerned.
According to this document, the final budget amounted to EUR 307.5 million.
As regards the staffing policy, the EAR officially set out 114 posts in its establishment plan. 88 are currently occupied + 170 other posts (local staff) giving a total of 276 posts (against 261 in 2004) assigned to administrative and operational tasks. Staff expenditure represented EUR 18 481 000.
The principal operational activities are as follows :
In KOSOVO:
- start-up grants, loans, training and business advice to small businesses;
- legal assistance to vulnerable persons;
- management of loans provided earlier from the EAR credit schemes;
- rehabilitation of the heating sub-station in Mitrovica;
- another six bridges reopened between Pristina and the border crossing with FYROM;
- support in the areas of JHA and public administration reform.
In SERBIA:
- draft laws in Public Administration Reform;
- supply of equipment to border police;
- rehabilitation and supply of equipment to courts;
- rehabilitation programme for hospitals;
- new jobs created due to loans from the Revolving Credit Fund;
- training support to enterprises;
- overhaul of thermal power plants;
- regional training centres for adults; pilot schools rehabilitated and supplied with IT equipment;
- conclusion of rehabilitation of Sloboda bridge and the Horgos border crossing point with Hungary;
- renovation of municipal infrastructures;
- reform of the statistics office;
- support for foreign direct investment management;
- support for active labour measures to secure employment and reduce unemployment;
- support for European integration activities;
- support for vulnerable groups such as refugees and internally-displaced persons.
In MONTENEGRO:
- completion of waste management master plan;
- border crossing with Croatia completed within the framework of assistance with integrated border management;
- central IT database of the Ministry of Interior;
- Agency for Human Resources Management, regional centres for vocational education and training;
- veterinary laboratory;
- new Roads Directorate and transport laws;
- master plans for wastewater and solid waste;
- Electric Utility unbundling/restructuring, energy efficiency strategy.
In the FYROM:
- assistance with the strengthening and creation of new public administration institutions (internal audit function, Data Protection Agency);
- Police reform;
- strengthening of veterinary and phytosanitary services;
- assistance with decentralisation of competences to municipalities;
- upgrade of municipal infrastructure;
- training of civil servants, mainly ethnic Albanians, to become public servants;
- new jobs created and jobs preserved due to loans to SMEs from the Revolving Credit Fund.
The complete version of the final accounts may be found at the following address: