Extorted procurement-how local authorities unlawfully procure equipment for firefighters

Analysis of the spending of public funds from the budgets of local governments for the purchase of firefighting vehicles and equipment indicates that such practice is ineffective and unlawful and does not solve the problem of obsolescence of the fire engine fleet, and in some situations deepens the problem.

Obsolete firefighting vehicles and equipment as well as retrogression and fire protection system unharmonized with international standards are reducing the quality of intervention of fire brigades, which leads to increased damage from fire and to increased number of victims. The author points out that the competent institutions – the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Sector for Emergency Situations – do not have a systematic approach in dealing with this problem. Therefore, individual local governments are trying to provide funds from its own budgets for equipping local fire brigades. The author illustrates this practice of public spending in the case of Novi Sad and Kikinda.

Further analysis aims to show how the ad hoc purchases of fire vehicles and equipment are necessary, but still ineffective and illegal. The main problem is that individual and non-systemic procurements of fire vehicles create additional problems in the work of fire-rescue units. The author concludes that the spending of public funds from the budgets of local governments for the procurement of fire-fighting vehicles and equipment does not lead to solving the problem of obsolete fleet. At the end of the analysis, the author points out that it is necessary to approach this problem systematically and resolve it at the central, state level.

The publication is the result of work on the project “PRO-CURE Strengthening civilian control over public procurement in the security sector” funded by the European Union through the project Support to Civil Society 2013 and the Office for Cooperation with Civil Society of the Government of the Republic of Serbia.