After talks with PM Miro Cerar, President Borut Pahor has decided to wait for the government to assess, whether the findings in the internal audit report, published by the foreign ministry, in any way influences their current list of proposed new ambassadors.

What did the diplomats do wrong?
With regards to President Pahor’s decision, the Foreign Ministry Secretary General, Stanislav Vidovič, says he isn’t aware how many of the new candidates will be affected by the latest development. Vidovič assures though that there are "no criminals, thieves or individuals who would unlawfully spend funds or commit crimes among them." He says the findings can mostly be attributed to a "shemozzle".

Mr. Vidovič did list some of the key findings from the 49 audits on Slovenian diplomatic/consular missions starting from 2009. Diplomats were found to have purchased materials without previously signed contracts, they went over their limits, did not demand the return of VAT to which they were entitled to, they used ministry credit cards for personal use, signed contracts with locals who did not fulfill general criteria, calculated their travel expenses by taking into account the regular price of petrol instead of the diplomatic discount prices they were entitled to, and used international delivery services in an uneconomic way.

"We have demanded all that money to be returned, and it has been returned," Vidovič confirmed. According to his estimates the damage done does not exceed 5.000 euros in total.

T. H.; translated by K. J.