Representatives of the General Inspectorate of Finance (IGF) and auditing firm KPMG on Monday attended a session of the Chamber’s budget control commission. The main topic of discussion: the MALT language app, which the Pirate Party was supposed to develop for the National Reception Office (ONA) in support of asylum seekers from Arab countries.
The meeting on Monday focused on significant accounting discrepancies which have led to internal turmoil within the Pirate Party. MP Marc Goergen has publicly criticised fellow MP Sven Clement, and is even taking him to court over the accounting issue. The Chamber’s commission is now poised to formally forward Goergen’s allegations of falsified documents to the prosecutor’s office.
Commission president Franz Fayot of the Luxembourg Socialist Workers’ Party (LSAP) drew attention to the fact that the situation has further unveiled flaws in the control mechanisms of the Reception Office, citing several examples, including untraceable audits, missing documents, and contracts lacking conformity. “In brief, there is a whole array of problems that has come to light”, Fayot noted.
In the meantime, the Court of Auditors has been tasked with checking ONA’s procedural errors. MP Stéphanie Weydert of the Christian Social People’s Party (CSV) contended that management issues within the Pirate Party have long been known, making it an inevitable decision to involve the court. She further expressed regret over the fact that the entire affair is staining the already delicate asylum seeker dossier.
