Closing Ceremony of the Project “Further Strengthening the Capacity of the Serbian Audit Authority”
The official closing ceremony of the Twinning Light Project “Further Strengthening the Capacity of the Serbian Audit Authority” was held on November 7, 2024, at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia in Belgrade. The project, funded by the European Union with a budget of €250,000, was implemented in collaboration with the Agency for Audit of European Union Programmes Implementation System from Croatia and lasted from March to November 2024.
The ceremony featured speeches by Ms. Milena Milojević, Acting Director of the Governmental Audit Office for Audit of EU Funds, Mr. Neven Šprlje, Member State Project Leader and Director of the Agency for Audit of EU Programmes Implementation System, and Mr. Frederik Misrahi, a representative of the EU Delegation to the Republic of Serbia. Ms. Milojević emphasized the significance of the achieved results and the enhancement of the Serbian Audit Authority’s capacities. Mr. Šprlje praised the excellent cooperation of all participants and the support of the EU Delegation, while Mr. Misrahi highlighted the key value of the Twinning approach—collaborative work and knowledge exchange.
The project was implemented through four main components:
- Updating existing and developing new audit manuals
- Conducting theoretical and practical training
- Preparing participants for professional certification
- Organizing study visits to Hungary and Croatia
Over eight months, more than 30 missions and 16 training sessions equipped participants with practical knowledge and tools to improve auditing practices. Notable activities included the Mini-Homologues meeting and study visits, which facilitated experience-sharing and harmonized approaches among audit authorities.
The event also featured a round table discussion titled “What Did the Project Bring to Me as an Auditor?”. Participants shared experiences about the practical impacts of trainings, collaborative activities, and alignment of practices. They noted that the acquired knowledge has already been applied in regular audit work, and the project fully met expectations. Priority areas for future projects were identified, including internships, targeted pilot audits, and additional study visits.
The ceremony concluded with a networking reception, providing attendees an opportunity to exchange ideas and reflect on the project’s outcomes. The project “Further Strengthening the Capacity of the Serbian Audit Authority”, funded by the European Union, reaffirmed the importance of international cooperation in achieving transparency, accountability and efficiency in managing EU funds.
