1 Transparency and accountability in the management of defence Dr. Andrzej Karkoszka Acting Undersecretary for Defence Policy Director, Strategic Defence Review Ministry of National Defence, Poland

2 What is „transparency” and „accountability”? In management of defence, as in any public service, legislative and executive authorities have an obligation to account /reveal, explain, justify/ for their actions and for the allocation of public funds Political, financial, administrative, legal accountability Transparency – condition of accountability, provision of information to citizen, institutions, and the outside world on plans and actions of authorities

3 What is to be „transparent”? Defence budgeting and planning Management of defence system Military structures and personnel policy Strategic doctrine Procurement and investment International interactions in defence Arms transfers

4 Institutions – venues of transparency and accountability Parliament – fundamental element Executive agencies of state State audit authorities Media Academic and analytical institutions Judiciary

5 What are the benefits of transparency and accountability? Effectiveness – balancing of state/social needs with resources, proper execution of plans Public confidence – legitimization of state authorities and their policies, including actions of the military Barrier to corruption, nepotism, neglect Facilitation of corrective action External confidence building/cooperation

6 Resistance to transparency Political – wish to preserve knowledge by dominant group to avoid consequences, unwillingness to discuss defence issues with the opposition Security – if clandestine action is the only way of securitng interests of state, fear of disclosure to enemy in conflict, legitimate state’s secrets Legal – to avoid persecution Bureacratic – to cover up mismanagemet or lack of professional abilities Legacies of the past – lack of interest or of a habit

7 Requirements for transparency and accountability Legal norms setting the requirement Political will /mind-set, attitudes, practices/ Professional cadres /analysts, experts/ Public awareness /education/ Technological base /printing, data bases, comunications, standards/

8 Examples of means and methods for execution of transparency Parliamentary debates, hearings, interpelations, reports, special commissions Governmental documents on budgets, plans /White Books, reports, analyses/ Audit reports and their public debate Uncensored media coverage

9 Transparency and accountability – a few cases from „real life” Cover-ups in the name of military corporate interest Over-sophisticated documents – only for „experts” Misinformation as a way of protection Accountability within the ranks – the most difficult aspect of accountability implementation Power of „monopoly on information”