EU provides 1 million Euro support to improve external audit of the state budget

TIRANA, March 13 – The European Union on Tuesday launched a Twinning project in support of external audit, the main beneficiary being the Supreme Audit Institution of Albania. The 1 million Euro project is funded under the CARDS 2004 Program commenced on January 15th and will run for a period of 20 months. The Twinning partners responsible for implementing the EU-funded support are the United Kingdom’s National Audit Office (NAO) and the Dutch Court of Auditors. The project aims to actively help the SAI to enhance the level of public service, accountability and transparency in auditing the state budget, and reporting to Parliament. The medium term objective is to create a more modern external audit service prepared to properly audit the expenditure of all funds. “This project will increase transparency in the use of public money, so that money is used effectively and efficiently. It will thereby improve public services for the benefit of all Albanian citizens”, said the Head of the EC Delegation in Albania, Ambassador Helmuth Lohan, during the launch event. (Tirana Times Staff)