After 100 days, Kulbergs' government faces criticism over budget audit plan

Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs' (AS) government will reach its 100-day mark in early September, but due to upcoming elections, it is already close to its natural end. This means the government's performance can be assessed more frequently, as the prime minister himself plans to evaluate ministers – monthly or even more often if mistakes are made.

The proximity of elections pushes politicians to show off, and Kulbergs' actions can be explained by a desire to please voters and donors. For instance, his idea to have companies audit ministry budgets by lottery appears aimed at gaining support.

The government's declaration promises to review baseline expenditures in all ministries and improve access to budget data, but the lottery method is not included. Critics argue that businesses friendly to AS could misuse the data for their own benefit, obtaining information otherwise unavailable. Kulbergs claims it is possible to “catch up” and that he is learning from Estonia's experience.