The Ministry of Finance has published its first fiscal Citizen Guide

The Ministry of Finance published the first information resource on your own document "Budget Guide citizen on the state budget and consolidated budget for 2014." Experts regard it as a step forward in the application of international standards for the availability of budget information and budget transparency.

Drafters of the 65 pages have attempted to present the budget process and performance of the state budget, as well as the consolidated budget for 2014 in the form accessible to the citizens. In previous years, such a document was a coalition of non-governmental organizations "National Budget Group" (NBG).

Last year, the Open Budget Index in Azerbaijan totaled 42 points out of a possible 100. Research in this direction is an international organization IBP (International Budget Partnership). The Open Budget Index is compiled by the organization every two years . For comparison - Kazakhstan index was 38 points , scored 62 Ukraine , Russia and Mongolia - 60 , Georgia - 55 points out of 100 possible maximum .

An expert for NBG Kenan Aslanli told Turan, that one of the factors promoting Azerbaijani Open Budget Index is the development and publication of the budget guidebook citizen. However, the potential in this matter is not yet exhausted. "Immediate steps in this direction should be to ensure that government involvement in the budget process of civil society and the media," he stressed.

Countries scored from 41 to 60 points on the Open Budget Index, belong to the category of countries that provide little information to citizens. For comparison, we note that the category of the same countries includes also Italy, Poland and Turkey.

The Open Budget Index evaluates the quality and quantity of information that governments of various countries publish in key budget documents. This index also provides the opportunity for residents of the country to participate in the budget process. - 08B-