Cooperative audits and further cooperation, in particular in the context of reforming the Accounting Chamber and controlling the use of international assistance, were discussed on 20 June during an online meeting of the heads of the Accounting Chamber of Ukraine, the German Federal Court of Auditors and the Court of Auditors of Hesse.
The discussion was attended by the Сhairwoman of the Accounting Chamber Olha Pishchanska and the Deputy Chairman of the Accounting Chamber Serhii Kliuchka. Among the partners from the Federal Republic of Germany, the meeting was attended by Dr Walter Wallmann, President of the Court of Auditors of Hesse, Dr Matthias Mähring, Audit Director of the Federal Court of Audit, Dr Ahmed Demir, Audit Director responsible for international obligations of the German Federal Court of Auditors, Dr Maik Esser-Müllenbach, representative of the audit team cooperating with the Accounting Chamber of Ukraine, and others.
Currently, Ukrainian and German auditors are working on two cooperative audits, one of which concerns the provision of loans for the purchase of housing for internally displaced persons and the second – on civil protection in municipal general secondary education institutions. The reports on both audits are planned to be published this year.
During the meeting, the Chairwoman of the Accounting Chamber Olha Pishchanska thanked her German colleagues for their comprehensive support both during cooperative audits and in the process of raising the level of professionalism of Ukrainian auditors.
“We understand very well the responsibility of the Accounting Chamber to the Ukrainian society, as well as to the citizens of Germany and other countries that provide us with various types of assistance. We are aware of the importance of controlling this assistance. It is very good that we have a mutual understanding and a common vision of approaches to audits. This has a positive impact on the quality of our joint work”, Olha Pishchanska said.
During the meeting, the parties exchanged views on the importance of further improvement of the legislation regulating the activities of the Accounting Chamber. Therefore, Olha Pishchanska invited her German colleagues to join the working group responsible for the development of the new draft law.
Also during the discussion, Deputy Chairman of the Accounting Chamber Serhii Kliuchka emphasized the value of the German auditors’ advice, which helped to identify the shortcomings of the mechanism of support for internally displaced persons and the development and functioning of the civil protection system.
The German partners also shared the preliminary results of their audits on the same topics.
Following the meeting, the parties agreed to submit proposals for new joint audits with the German Federal Court of Auditors and the Court of Auditors of Hesse, and to focus on large-scale projects of German support to Ukraine.
It was also decided to continue further exchange of experience, in particular through an internship for Ukrainian auditors at the Court of Auditors of Hesse.
For reference:
In 2023, Ukraine received financial assistance from the Federal Republic of Germany totaling UAH 2 billion 448.3 million.