Contact: In Warsaw: Jacek Wojciechowicz, cell: +48 601 821 559 jwojciechowicz@worldbank.org WARSAW, April 4, 2006—From April 2-5, treasury officials, budget directors and donors from across the Europe and Central Asia Region are taking part in a Public Expenditure Management workshop in Warsaw. They are launching a ‘Public Expenditure Management – Peer Assisted Learning network’, or PEM-PAL, which will promote cross-country learning among experts. An outgrowth of two earlier regional Public Expenditure Management events, PEM PAL is the product of the World Bank Group and the UK department for International Development (DFID). The program also enjoys the support of the OECD and the U.S. Treasury. This year’s workshop in Warsaw is being co-sponsored by the National Bank of Poland. It is allowing treasury, banking and budget officials from member countries of the European Union, including Poland, and the USA to share their hard-won lessons on public spending reform with countries such as Albania, The Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova and Tajikistan Central bank and finance experts in Poland, along with counterparts in Slovenia, Croatia, and other Central European countries, have worked diligently to improve medium term budgeting and introduce mechanisms for better forecasting and monitoring. The three-day workshop is giving them the opportunity to share their experiences and engage with a network of their peers. “The direction of fiscal policy is absolutely essential for economic growth both from the short and long term perspective. And in this matter there are still many misunderstandings, even though this is an issue that arises repeatedly,” said Poland’s Central Bank President, Professor Leszek Balcerowicz, who delivered a dinner speech on day-one of the workshop. Public sector experts participating in any PEM-PAL activities must report on actionable commitments as well as progress on a range of 28 Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability, or PEFA, indicators. PEFA is a multi-institution project jointly financed by the World Bank, the European Commission and the UK (DFID). It promotes dissemination of good practice in the field of public accountability and was instrumental in creating PEM-PAL. Organizers hope that within two years PEM-PAL will be wholly run by governments. -- | 
RSS