On 21 and 22 September 2022, Auditor General Rolands Irklis participates in the 57th EUROSAI Governing Board meeting held in Lisbon, Portugal, where together with the heads of the Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) of other European countries, he is discussing development of EUROSAI’s new strategies for 2024-2030 and preparation for the worldwide SAI congress. In addition, R. Irklis presents the 2022 and 2023 action plan of the State Audit Office managed portfolio “EUROSAI cooperation with non-SAIs”.
“Membership in EUROSAI Governing Board provides an opportunity to bring up important issues for the State Audit Office of Latvia on an international scale. In 2021, becoming the development coordinator of the Governing Board’s portfolio “EUROSAI cooperation with non-SAIs”, we undertook to popularize EUROSAI’s audit work at international conferences and cooperation platforms, as well as to strengthen the cooperation of external auditors with internal auditors and representatives of civil society. The status and duties of a member of the EUROSAI Governing Board provide growth opportunities for our team of the State Audit Office of Latvia, being at the nucleus of the exchange of professional knowledge and experience,” says R. Irklis.
In 2022 and 2023, the State Audit Office of Latvia will implement two projects within the portfolio of the EUROSAI Governing Board. In cooperation with the Confederation of European Institutes of Internal Auditing, an exchange of experience has been initiated on the promotion of cooperation between internal and external auditors in the European public sector. In its turn, they plan to improve cooperation mechanisms together with SAI partners from different countries in order to facilitate civil society’s involvement and understanding of audit work.
In addition to the presentation of the portfolio of the Governing Board under the management of the State Audit Office of Latvia, the 57th EUROSAI Governing Board meeting plans to discuss the action plans of the coordinated portfolios of the Czech Republic, Israel, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Lithuania, Poland, Spain and Turkey in matters of general governance, communication and professional development. The meeting participants will also discuss the elaboration of a new strategy 2024-2030, sustainability of the organization and promotion of cooperation with auditors. Among the most important issues is the worldwide SAI Congress or INCOSAI, which will take place from November 7 to 11, paying attention to the long-term impact and operation of SAIs at a time when society is affected by such conditions as the geopolitical situation, pandemic, energy crisis, etc.
General information:
The European Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (EUROSAI) is an international organization that currently unites the Supreme Audit Institutions of 50 European countries and the European Court of Auditors. The State Audit Office of Latvia has been a full member of EUROSAI since 1995, and it was elected to the EUROSAI Governing Board for a six-year term in 2017. Since 2021, the State Audit Office of Latvia is responsible for EUROSAI’s cooperation with non-SAIs.
The main goals of the organization are to promote professional cooperation among supreme audit institutions in Europe, as well as to improve public sector auditing. The activities of the State Audit Office of Latvia in the leadership of the organization demonstrate the high assessment of the work of the State Audit Office by foreign partners and confirm that the State Audit Office of Latvia is a modern and professional audit institution of an international level.
About the State Audit Office
The State Audit Office of the Republic of Latvia is an independent, collegial supreme audit institution. The purpose of its activity is to find out whether the actions with the financial means and property of a public entity are legal, correct, useful and in line with public interests, as well as to provide recommendations for the elimination of discovered irregularities. The State Audit Office conducts audits in accordance with International Standards of Supreme Audit Institutions (ISSAI) of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI), whose recognition in Latvia is determined by the Auditor General.
100 years of AUDIT STRENGTH
On 16 August 2023, the State Audit Law will turn 100 years old. With the adoption of this Law, the State Audit Office from a formal de facto institution founded on 2 December 1918 became a de jure independent, collegial supreme audit institution of the Republic of Latvia. The State Audit Office is one of the independent state institutions enshrined in the Satversme (Constitution) of Latvia. The Constitution was signed by Roberts Ivanovs as the secretary of the Constitutional Assembly, who was then confirmed as the Auditor General. He worked as the first Auditor General for 12 years. His signature confirmed the text of our Constitution alongside that of Jānis Čakste.
Additional information
Ms Signe Znotiņa-Znota
Head of PR and Internal Communication Division
Phone number 67017671 | M. 26440185 | E-mail: signe.znotina-znota@lrvk.gov.lv