Annual report on the implementation of the general state budget, fiscal year 2021-2022
The lack of digitalization explains the delay in the transmission of statistical data, defended, Friday, December 9, 2022, the Minister of Budget, Finance and Economic Planning, facing the recommendation to transmit reports one month after the end of each quarter. This nod comes from the Standing Committee on Public Accounts and Finance, Economic Affairs and Planning after several observations.
The committee referred to article 63 of the organic law of June 20, 2022 on public finance, which stipulates that performance and budget execution reports are to be submitted quarterly so that Parliament can closely monitor the budgetary management of the year in question. However, there is a delay in the transmission of these reports.
As an example, the committee reveals that the report for the first half of 2021-2022 was transmitted in October 2022, after 6 months of the planned period.
In this case, the present annual report was transmitted in November 2022 with a delay of 5 months. In addition, the performance and budget execution report for the first quarter of 2022-2023 has not yet been sent to Parliament, which is two months late.
As consequence, this does not allow the Parliament to monitor, evaluate and control regularly the implementation of the general State budget and its results.
Moreover, at the level of tax revenues, there was a realization of 108.3%. Even though the tax policy measures include the broadening of the tax base in the measures of the 2021-2022 budget law, including Art 127: demolition fines of 10,000 BIF/m2 and 30,000 BIF/m2 respectively in the countryside and in Bujumbura Mayorship, the Government’s envoy nevertheless made a clarification. A fine is not intended to increase the tax base, but rather to force marginalized people to get back on track.
Furthermore, special attention was paid to exemptions, which are not bad as such. Unfortunately, some bad faith businessmen do not use this advantage to its fullest. Therefore, the OBR agents are invited to double their vigilance.
