How Public Money Is Lost: Synthesis of the Court of Accounts Reports Published in the Third Quarter of 2012

The study seeks to highlight problems that recur systematically in the work of central and local public authorities and in the management of public enterprises. It also aims to alert those responsible for managing the audited entities, so that they respond appropriately to the alarming conclusions of the Court's reports.

The authors argue that the legislature is responsible for adopting clear rules and credible constraints that would reduce conflicts of interest in public structures. Civil society, the media and the wider public should act as watchdogs of political decision-makers, so that decisions serve the public interest. The analysis has three chapters: a synthesis of the most frequent deficiencies and irregularities found in the 18 decisions; an analysis of audit reports on the management of public property and the economic and financial performance of some public enterprises and public-interest programmes; and an analysis of the failure to implement recommendations from earlier external audits.