"We must build a higher audit institution of expert level as soon as possible": Olga Pishchanska at a meeting with the EU Delegation
The implementation of the updated norms of the legislation "On the Accounting Chamber", in particular, strengthening the requirements for the professionalism of auditors, ensuring the independence and autonomy of the Accounting Chamber, and the prospects for conducting audits of consolidated reporting were discussed during a meeting of the management of the Accounting Chamber with specialists from the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine: Head of the Economic Cooperation and Social Policy Department of the Delegation of the EU to UkraineHenrik Witfeldt, Program specialists for public finance management, budget support and statisticsPaulius Strelčiūnas andAnastasia Korch.
During the meeting, the Head of the Accounting Chamber,Olga Pishchanska, thanked the partners for supporting the reform of the Accounting Chamber, as experts from European international technical assistance projects, in particular EU4PFM, as well as the SIGMA mission, actively participated in the preparation of amendments to the legislation. Regarding cooperation with technical assistance projects in terms of improving internal processes, the Head of the Accounting Chamber emphasized that the interaction is deepening and highly appreciated its results.
Olga Pishchanska reported that the institution currently pays the most attention to the training and professional development of staff. She recalled that in accordance with the new legislative framework, auditors are exempt from the Law of Ukraine "On Civil Service" and will receive the status of state auditors, this will allow them to fully work according to international standards of supreme audit institutions and receive competitive salaries.
In order to obtain the new status of state auditor, it is necessary to pass an appropriate assessment, which will be carried out on the basis of qualification requirements and criteria for professional suitability of state auditors, in accordance with the procedures for conducting the competition, which are already in the final stage of development with the assistance of European experts.
«Our strategy in this matter is aimed at maximum retention and development of the personnel who already work for us, with a preliminary assessment of the level of knowledge of auditors according to international standards. Our task – in the shortest possible time to build a highly qualified Accounting Chamber of expert level, which will be trusted by both society, and objects of control, and our partners», – summed up Olga Pishchanska. The Head of the Accounting Chamber informed the partners that the institution is preparing to update the structure of the apparatus, and the issue of the maximum number of personnel has been submitted for approval to the Committee on Budget of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
It was also said during the meeting that the Accounting Chamber plans to significantly increase the number of financial audits, so the institution is particularly interested in specialists in this area and the continuous development of their professionalism. This year it is planned to conduct 18 financial audits, six of which will concern the consolidated financial statements of the main spending units of budget funds, which will cover about 9 % of the expenditures, provided for in the state budget for 2025 year. T. Acting. Secretary of the Accounting Chamber – Chief of StaffVasil Nevyadoy noted that a significant portion of the remaining planned financial audits will concern World Bank projects implemented in Ukraine.
Separately, the experts of the EU Delegation were interested in the announced cooperation of the Accounting Chamber with the Secretariat of the Audit Board of the Ukraine Facility and future audits related to the reforms specified in the relevant plan. During the discussion of these issues, a member of the Accounting Chamber, Kyrylo Klymenko, told the partners about the recently launched audit on the reform of the remuneration system of civil servants.
Following the meeting, experts from the EU Delegation expressed support for the Accounting Chamber on the path to implementing reforms. In particular, Paulius Strelčiūnas emphasized the importance of involving the institution in audits on such sensitive issues as public procurement and the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine.
