News from Serbia

SAI Serbia Delivers 2018 Activity Report to National Assembly

On May 22, 2019, the State Audit Institution of the Republic of Serbia (SAIS) delivered its 2018 Activity Report to the National Assembly. In 2018, SAIS audited 209 entities and determined errors and irregularities amounting to 217 billion dinars (roughly US $2 billion), with the largest portion relating to financial statement errors.

At a SAIS-organized press conference, President and Auditor General, Dr. Duško Pejović, emphasized the state auditors determined beneficiaries of public funds, among others, misstated data regarding income, revenues, expenses, and expenditures; did not observe proper procedures during the public procurement process; made errors in presenting operating results; and assumed obligations above approved appropriations.

The main cause of the errors and irregularities was that budget beneficiaries have not established an effective financial management and control system. SAIS detected deficiencies in the internal control systems at 91 of 150 (61%) audited entities, while 77% of public funds beneficiaries had not conducted effective internal audits. Dr. Pejović said that he believes audited entities need to achieve greater public accountability.

In 2018, SAIS published 141 financial statements and compliance audit reports, 58 compliance audit reports, two performance audit reports, 20 reports on actions taken in response to audits, and 215 post-audit reports. In these reports, SAIS issued 2,130 recommendations to audited entities intended to remove errors and irregularities determined during audits. SAIS issued a total of 1,792 recommendations in financial statements and compliance audit reports, 306 in compliance audit reports, and 32 recommendations in performance audit reports. Dr. Pejović said that SAIS issued recommendations to having the largest number of irregularities.

Fifty-nine SAI Serbia Employees Earn State Auditor Title

On March 7, 2019, President and Auditor General of the State Audit Institution of Serbia (SAIS), Dr. Duško Pejović, awarded certificates to 59 SAIS employees who earned the title of State Auditor. Dr. Pejović congratulated the new State Auditors on the successful completion of exams and noted the new State Auditors would increase SAIS strength.

SAIS President Speaks at International Audit Panel in Istanbul

President and Auditor General of the State Audit Institution of Serbia (SAIS), Dr. Duško Pejović, spoke at a panel on the “Latest Approaches to Measuring the Added Value of Audit and Challenges” organized by the Turkish Court of Accounts on April 18-19, 2019, in Istanbul. Presenting on the impact of performance audits and on methodologies for tracking these impacts, Dr. Pejović reported that, following SAIS recommendations, Serbia’s Ministry of Justice decreased its total costs from 46 million dinars in 2014 to 32 million dinars in 2017. In the same period, the Ministry of Education’s office of Science and Technological Development, the city of Pancevo,and the municipality of Pecinci also decreased costs.