30 Years of Independent State Audit: The Accounting Chamber Celebrates Its Anniversary

On October 22, the Accounting Chamber marked the 30th anniversary of its founding. The event brought together auditors and staff of the Accounting Chamber, its current and former heads and members as well as representatives of various generations of professionals who have made a great contribution to the establishment and development of the institution.

Ruslan Stefanchuk, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine; Ihor Molotok, Chairman of the Subcommittee on State Financial Control and the Activities of the Accounting Chamber (under the Verkhovna Rada Committee on issues of budget); and Dmytro Skakovskyi, Deputy Chairman of the State Employees’ Union of the City of Kyiv, attended to congratulate the staff on the anniversary.

Congratulating the staff on the institution’s 30th anniversary, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk noted the development of the Accounting Chamber in recent years and emphasized its role in ensuring transparency and accountability in the management of public finances. According to him, public trust in how the state manages taxpayers' funds depends on the results of the Accounting Chamber's work.

"Over the years, the country has changed, as have parliaments, governments, and economic conditions. Yet, the need for professional oversight of public finances has remained constant. This need is felt particularly acutely today, as Ukraine wages war, allocates significant resources to defense, restores destroyed infrastructure, and secures large-scale international aid. Each hryvna is vital for specific needs. The key question today is: what results will be achieved with these funds? Modern state audits must provide the answers to these questions," noted the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

Ruslan Stefanchuk specifically highlighted the significance of audit results for various institutions and for society. For the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Accounting Chamber serves as an important instrument of parliamentary oversight; for the Government and other authorities, it acts as an independent source for evaluating management decisions; and for citizens, it provides information on the use of funds derived from their taxes.

Three Decades of Independent State Audit – Results

Olha Pishchanska, Chairwoman of the Accounting Chamber, outlined the institution’s achievements in her address. Over the course of 30 years, the Accounting Chamber has approved 2,453 reports, conducted oversight activities covering 17,466 audit entities, and examined the use of 21.6 trillion UAH. The total value of identified irregularities amounted to 1.33 trillion UAH.

Olha Pishchanska emphasized that these results are the product of the work of many generations of specialists who have shaped the professional traditions of the Accounting Chamber, upheld its independence, and developed the institution’s capacity.

"Our 30-year history is the story of people who built, shaped, transformed, and maintained the strength of the Accounting Chamber. Today, we gratefully remember those who, at various stages in our institution’s history, worked to develop its capacity. The nature of the institution, the findings of its audits, and the outcomes resulting from the implementation of its recommendations all depend on the perspectives, level of competence, and integrity of its professionals," noted Olha Pishchanska.

The Chairwoman of the Accounting Chamber also thanked the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for its cooperation, noting the role of parliamentary committees in reviewing audit results and facilitating the implementation of recommendations.

Ihor Molotok also spoke about his long-standing interaction with the Accounting Chamber. He noted changes in the institution’s operations and highlighted the importance of independent state auditing during wartime. He specifically thanked the staff for their adherence to principles, the well-substantiated nature of their findings, and their readiness for open, professional dialogue.

Greetings from predecessors and international colleagues

Former heads of the Accounting Chamber also joined in the congratulations. Its first Chairman, Valentyn Symonenko—who headed the institution from 1996 to 2011—sent a congratulatory letter. In his message, he reflected on the formative period of the Accounting Chamber, the establishment of its mandate, and the initial steps taken toward international professional recognition.

Valerii Patskan, Head of the Accounting Chamber from 2018 to 2023, also personally addressed the attendees. In his remarks, he highlighted the progress made by the Accounting Chamber in recent years, the cohesion of the team, and its ability to remain resilient under challenging circumstances. He thanked the staff for their strength of character, professionalism, and mutual support—qualities that have enabled the institution to continue fulfilling its mandate and develop, even amidst the war.

During the event, current and former members of the Accounting Chamber also addressed those present.

Also, on the occasion of its 30th anniversary, the Accounting Chamber received congratulatory letters and video messages from international partners—the supreme audit institutions of Estonia, Slovakia, Latvia, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, the German state of Hesse, Romania, Poland, Sweden, Moldova, and Italy—as well as a letter from the Court of Auditors of Spain, which currently holds the chairmanship of the EUROSAI Secretariat.

Awards for Accounting Chamber Employees

On the occasion of the anniversary, staff members of the institution were honored with state, parliamentary, governmental, and other departmental awards, as well as distinctions from the Accounting Chamber and the State Employees’ Union of the City of Kyiv. In total, 64 awards and distinctions were presented*.

In accordance with an institutional tradition established in 2025, the Accounting Chamber annually selects winners in the following categories: "Auditor of the Year," "Audit Finding of the Year," and "Audit of the Year."

Based on the votes of the audit staff, Serhiy Stodolinskyi, Head of the Department for Control in the Sphere of Security, Defense, and the Defense-Industrial Complex, was named "Auditor of the Year".

The winner in the category "Audit of the Year" has become the compliance audit of defense procurement related to the logistical support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The head of the audit team is Serhii Stodolinskyi, and the member of the Accounting Chamber responsible for the audit is Gennadiy Plis.

The "Audit Finding of the Year" award went to the audit team that conducted the financial audit of the Bucha Urban Territorial Community for 2025. The head of the audit team is Fedir Vorsa, a State Auditor of the 2nd Rank from the Department of Control over Inter-budgetary Transfers, while the official responsible for the audit is Serhii Kliuchka, Deputy Chairman of the Accounting Chamber.

Commemorative stamp

Another highlight of the event was the ceremonial cancellation of a commemorative stamp issued by JSC Ukrposhta, titled "30 Years. The Accounting Chamber. Independent Audit for Sustainable Future."

The ceremony was attended by the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Ruslan Stefanchuk; Chairman of the Subcommittee on State Financial Control and the Activities of the Accounting Chamber (under the Verkhovna Rada Committee on issues of budget),Ihor Molotok; and the Chairwoman of the Accounting Chamber, Olha Pishchanska.

The design of the commemorative stamp features an image of the historic building of the Accounting Chamber, rendered in the style of a classic postal engraving. The central theme of the composition is the succession and development of independent state audit. The depiction of the building symbolizes institutional stability, while the slogan "Independent Audit for Sustainable Future" reflects the Accounting Chamber’s role in ensuring transparency and accountability in the use of public resources as essential prerequisites for the state’s resilience.

In memory of fallen colleagues—defenders of Ukraine

During the event, all those present also honored the memory of colleagues Yurii Storozhev and Valerii Hulyk, who voluntarily joined the defense of Ukraine from the very first days of the full-scale Russian invasion and perished while carrying out combat missions.

Yurii Storozhev had worked at the Accounting Chamber since 2015, serving as Deputy Head of the Department for the Audit of Education, Science, and Innovation. In total, he dedicated 29 years to civil service. He defended Ukraine within the Territorial Defense Forces and took part in combat operations in the Kyiv and Luhansk regions. He was killed on February 17, 2023, near Kreminna, because of enemy mortar fire.

Valerii Hulyk had worked at the territorial office of the Accounting Chamber in Vinnytsia since 2008. Following the start of the full-scale invasion, he joined the Territorial Defense Forces. Serving as a sapper, he carried out combat missions, including in the areas of Bakhmut and Chasiv Yar. He was killed on May 24, 2024, while performing a combat mission.

During the unveiling of the memorial, Olha Pishchanska, Chairwoman of the Accounting Chamber, emphasized that the memory of Yurii Storozhev and Valerii Hulyk would forever remain part of the institution’s history. She noted that while celebrating the achievements of the Accounting Chamber, the team would always remember their colleagues who gave their lives for Ukraine, defending the right of others to live and work in their own country. Preserving the memory of their heroic sacrifice and passing it on to future generations of the Accounting Chamber staff is a shared duty of the entire team, the Chairwoman stressed.

For reference.The Accounting Chamber was established on October 22, 1996—the day when the Law of Ukraine "On the Accounting Chamber” entered into force, which was adopted by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on July 11, 1996. The institution's constitutional status is enshrined in Article 98 of the Constitution of Ukraine. Valentyn Symonenko was appointed the first Chairman of the Accounting Chamber on December 4, 1996. The first meeting of the Collegium took place on May 23, 1997. That same year, the institution conducted 69 audits. In 1998, the Accounting Chamber became a member of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI),and in 1999 – of the European Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (EUROSAI).