For people with visual impairments
The implementation of the updated legislation "On the Accounting Chamber", in particular, strengthening the requirements for the professionalism of auditors, ensuring the independence and autonomy of the Accounting Chamber, the prospects for the audit of consolidated financial statements were discussed during the meeting of the Accounting Chamber’s leadership with the experts of the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine: Henrik Huitfeldt, Head of Economic Cooperation and Social Policies of the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine and Paulius Strelciunas and Anastasiia Korkh, Programme Officers, PFM, Budget Support and Statistics.
During the meeting, the Chairwoman of the Accounting Chamber, Olha Pishchanska, thanked the partners for supporting the reform of the Accounting Chamber, because experts from European international technical assistance projects, in particular EU4PFM and the SIGMA mission, were actively involved in the preparation of amendments to the legislation. Concerning the cooperation with technical assistance projects on the improvement of internal processes, the Chairwoman of the Accounting Chamber emphasized that the interaction is deepening and praised its results.
Olha Pishchanska informed that the institution is currently focusing on training and professional development of its staff. She recalled that under the new legislative framework, auditors will be removed from the scope of the Law of Ukraine "On the Civil Service" and will be granted the status of State Auditors, which will allow them to work fully in accordance with International Standards of Supreme Audit Institutions and to receive competitive salary.
In order to obtain the new status of State Auditor, it is necessary to undergo an appropriate assessment based on the qualification requirements and criteria of professional suitability of State Auditors, in accordance with the competitive procedures that are already in the final stage of development with the support of European experts.
“Our strategy in this matter is aimed at the maximum retention and development of the staff already working for us, with a preliminary assessment of the auditors’ level of knowledge according to international standards. Our task is to create a highly qualified Accounting chamber of the expert level in the shortest time, which will be trusted by the society, the audited entities and our partners", Olha Pishchanska summed up. The Chairwoman of the Accounting Chamber informed the partners that the institution is preparing to update the staff structure, and the issue of the maximum number of employees was submitted to the Committee on Budget of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for approval.
It was also discussed during the meeting that the Accounting Chamber plans to significantly increase the number of financial audits, which is why the institution is particularly interested in specialists in this field and in the continuous development of their professionalism. This year 18 financial audits are planned, six of which will concern the consolidated financial statements of the main spending units, which will cover about 9% of the expenditure planned in the State Budget for 2025. The Acting Secretary of the Accounting Chamber - Chief of Staff, Vasyl Nevidomyi, noted that a significant part of the remaining planned financial audits will concern World Bank projects implemented in Ukraine.
The EU Delegation also asked about the announced cooperation of the Accounting Chamber with the Secretariat of the Audit Board of the Ukraine Facility and about future audits related to the reforms set out in the relevant plan. During the discussion of these issues Kyrylo Klymenko, Member of the Accounting Chamber, informed the partners about the recently launched audit on the reform of the civil servants’ remuneration system.
Following the meeting, the experts from the EU Delegation expressed their support for the Accounting Chamber in its reform efforts. In particular, Paulius Strelciunas emphasized the importance of involving the institution in audits on such sensitive issues as public procurement and post-war reconstruction of Ukraine.
