By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, July 6 -- That the highest position in the UN system, President of the General Assembly, is essentially privately funded creates unfairness against small countries and possibly conflicts of interest.
In the past, Inner City Press has reported on Switzerland paying for the housing of PGA Joseph Deiss (despite the oath nearly ubiquitous in the Organization to serve the UN and not one's country), and has inquired into thefundraising of Srgjan Kerim (beyond the $1 million from his government.)
Now incoming PGA Vuk Jeremic of Serbia, whose election Inner City Press predicted with 97 votes (he got 99) is under some fire at home, for a reported $7 million request.
Jeremic's rival in the Democratic Party (DS), Belgrade Mayor Dragan Dilas, has put the figure at $7.5 million and called it disgraceful. For now, it's said that only $2.9 million have been approved, prior to the vote for PGA, but running only throw December.
In order to asses Jeremic's reported estimate, Inner City Press asked the office of the current Qatari PGA:
"This is a press request to know the budget of the current President of the General Assembly for his year in office, both from UN and non-UN sources.
"To explain, there is now a controversy in the press in Serbia about the incoming president's proposed budget from his country... in this context, and generally for UN transparency, I am asking you for the total PGA budget for his year, broken down as much as are willing to."
The answer that came back did not have the number from Qatar, only from the UN:
"Dear Matthew, The Office of the PGA receives $250,000 for each presidency from the regular UN budget. This amount has been set in 1998 by Member States. The national government of the PGA may contribute to the funding of the operations and activities of the PGA/OPGA.
"There is also the Trust Fund established in support of the Office and used to cover the costs of PGA initiatives such as specific thematic debates. Member States can make voluntary contributions to this Fund - but during this session the Fund received no contributions."
There is another wrinkle, raised to Inner City Press by another UN source: beyond the now-outdated $250,000, the UN pays for some of the PGA Office's posts, and others are seconded by other countries. Still, it has become harder and harder for poor countries to be PGA: witness Nepal losing out to Qatar. Now there is Serbia. Inner City Press has reiterated its request for the actual Qatari number. Watch this site.
