The Twinning project between the SAIs of Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Croatia is a clear example of cooperation with long-lasting and sustainable results

“The Twinning project is a clear example of how audit institutions from different countries can achieve long-lasting and sustainable results by working together. The activities under the four project components supported the efforts for the development and stability of the fundamental for a modern and well-functioning supreme audit institution four pillars - independence, institutional capacity, good governance, publicity and transparency. We are convinced that the colleagues from North Macedonia will continue with the reforms as an institution that sets an example in the public sector, has the necessary capacity and a clear vision for success”.         

Those were the words of the President of the Bulgarian National Audit Office Tzvetan Tzvetkov during the official closing ceremony of the Twinning Project “Improvement of external audit and Parliamentary oversight“. Beneficiaries of the EU funded project are the State Audit Office and the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia. This is the second Twinning project on which the Bulgarian National Audit Office and the State Audit Office of Croatia jointly work to share their experience with their colleagues from the Republic of North Macedonia.        

Developing the cooperation between the Parliament and the State Audit Office will not only contribute to the better management of the public funds, but will also ensure transparency in their spending, pointed out the President of the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia Talat Xhaferi.      

The implemented project activities focused on further harmonization of the legal framework, development of methodological tools and strengthening the capacity of the Supreme Audit Institution of North Macedonia for effective external auditing, stated the Auditor General of the Republic of North Macedonia Maksim Acevski.                 

Improving the work of the State Audit Office of North Macedonia will result into a higher level of accountability and efficiency in every segment of the state administration. The public finances management reform and strengthening the external audit functions are key elements in the country's preparation for joining the EU, pointed out Ambassador David Geer, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of North Macedonia.    

The results of the project (which budget amounts to 1.5 million euros) were presented by the respective Bulgarian, Macedonian and Croatian Project Leaders – Vyara Angelova, Tanja Janevska and Martina Jurjević. The implementation of the project has started in February 2021 with an implementation period of 21 months. One hundred forty-five missions carried out by forty experts were implemented under the project, seventy-six of which were carried out by twenty BNAO experts.

It was pointed out that the cooperation and friendship between the SAIs of Bulgaria and North Macedonia will continue with the same success, as a sign of which is the recently signed bilateral cooperation agreement.           

During the closing ceremony, a memorandum was signed between the Assembly and the Supreme Audit Institution of the Republic of North Macedonia.