Catapult report of the Auditor General for tests, masks and direct assignments

Exhibition on "CONTROL OF COMPETITIONS IN THE PANDEMIC PERIOD COVID-19 - Laboratory Tests Covid-19"Purchase of Protective Masks, Construction of a New Wing of the Nicosia General Hospital", was prepared by the Audit Service and was published today, Tuesday (13/10).

According to the conclusions of the Report, for the purchase of services for conducting molecular examinations COVID-19 during the pandemic, in two cases there was a direct assignment to a company of interests of a former Minister.

"It is also recorded as a general remark, the fact that the Minister was not limited to granting approval, but previously gave instructions himself and defined almost all aspects of the procedure, for which he was then asked and gave his approval. "This is not in line with the relevant legislation," he said.

Regarding the setting of prices for the exams, large variations / reductions were observed over time.

The Audit Office also refers to the complaints made about cases of persons who, while stating that they have not been subjected to the said examination, have received in their mobile messages with the relevant results and their names are included in the statements which have been submitted for payment and which are observed by DAP. The above serious issue shakes, in our view, the reliability of both the results and the situations with the persons who have undergone the said examination and should be further seriously and thoroughly investigated and checked by the contracting authority, especially before the payment of any payment to the Contractors.

"On 24.9.2020 we were informed by the General Director of the Ministry of Health that, from the inspection that he had ordered to be carried out in the files / documents that accompanied 6.441 exam registrations, for which a specific private laboratory requested payment, it was found that only examinations, while for the rest there were findings that do not justify payment ", it is added.

"Regarding the purchase of nine million disposable protective masks at a cost of € 4,68 plus VAT from DAP, we found that DAP did not fully comply with public procurement procedures, nor the principles of transparency and equal treatment of all economic operators. , principles that constitute the quintessence of European and Cypriot public procurement legislation ", it is stated.

Source: Sigmalive