Current issues of implementing the principle of transparency in the budget process

The article analyzes the legal foundations of implementing the principle of transparency in budget expenditures in Ukraine. The authors focus on the importance of transparency as an important component of effective public administration in the budget expenditure system, improving the level of accountability of state authorities to society and reducing the risks of corruption in the budget process. It is determined that the current national legislation, namely the Budget Code of Ukraine, the Law of Ukraine “On the Openness of the Use of Public Funds” and the Law “On Access to Public Information”, regulates the basic provisions on ensuring openness and transparency in the budget process. The significance and role of individual digital platforms (for example, E-data, OpenBudget, data.gov.ua) that provide the public with access to budget information and serve as a tool for implementing the principle of transparency in budget expenditures are assessed. Separately, it is considered that despite the presence of established legislative guarantees, in practice there are significant obstacles to the implementation of the principle of transparency in the budget process, namely: untimely publication of information that is important for ensuring transparency; complexity of document formats containing budget information; insufficient detail of reports on budget execution. Separate directions are proposed to improve the implementation of the principle of transparency in the budget process, such as: making changes to regulatory and legal acts in this area; introducing unified formats and standards for submitting data containing budget information; applying liability measures for violating the principle of transparency of the budget process; state participation in the development of public budget control; implementing educational initiatives in the financial literacy system. As a conclusion, the authors summarize that only a comprehensive approach combining legal, institutional and technological solutions will ensure real transparency of the budget process, strengthen citizens’ trust in the government, and contribute to the financial stability of the state.