Sweden has full confidence in PGR’s work ....

The Swedish embassy in Maputo yesterday expressed confidence in the way the Attorney General of the Republic of Mozambique (PGR) is dealing with the results of the audit of hidden debts, advocating the release of the document as soon as possible.The Swedish embassy funded the audit required by a group of international partners to resume support to the Mozambican state, after the disclosure, a year ago, of hidden debts amounting to US$1.4 billion.  “The audit report on public debt] is in the hands of the authorities, I think they are going to publish it. We have a very good collaboration with the PGR and we have full confidence in their work,” Andreas Perez Fransius, economic and commercial attache at the Swedish embassy, told Lusa.

Regarding the results of the audit, he continued, the justice system in Mozambique must act as in other sovereign states, taking the appropriate measures to the case.    “It would be inconvenient for me to comment on what measures to take, I trust them to take this process to the end,” he said.Fransius argued that the PGR should inform the Mozambican public of the results of the report as soon as they finish evaluating the document.     “This report is now in the hands of the PGR, which is making its assessment to see if the terms of reference have been met. The next step will be taken by the attorney general who will share this information with the Mozambican public,” Fransius added.The British branch of the North American research firm Kroll last month delivered to the Attorney General’s Office of Mozambique its audit of the so-called hidden debts endorsed by the former Mozambican government between 2013 and 2015.The audit was paid for by the Swedish government and came as a result of pressure from international financial institutions and major donors to the Mozambican state budget following the disclosure, in April last year, of debts of US$1.4 billion contracted by publicly-owned companies linked to maritime security with the endorsement of the Mozambican government.The discovery of the debts led the main donors and the international financial institutions to suspend aid to the country, subjecting the resumption of support to the conducting of an audit.