Mr Aleksandar Damjanović, Chairperson and Mr Zoran Jelić, member of the Committee on Economy, Finance and Budget spoke with SIGMA experts Ms Bianca Breteche and Mr Jan Pieter Lingen on the previous development of external audit in Montenegro, cooperation of the Committee on Economy, Finance and Budget with the State Audit Institution, innovations expected through adoption of the Proposal for the Law on Budget and Financial Responsibility as well as activities of the Committee in the previous period.

During the meeting, SIGMA experts were informed on cooperation aspects between the Committee and SAI, activities implemented in 2013 and activities planned for the current year. Taking into account the overall system of public financing in Montenegro and the need for controlling the Government’s work as quality as possible and also having in mind that the  Proposal for the Law on Budget and Financial Responsibility has been under parliamentary procedure, the interlocutors said that the possibility for shortening deadlines for submission of proposals for the laws on final budget statement and report on the audit of the Final Budget Statement of the Parliament of Montenegro should be considered. Additionally, it was emphasised that it was necessary to provide conditions for SAI to work in full capacity and also the participants of the meeting voiced expectance that in the period to come the amendments to the Law on State Audit Institution would be adopted.  

With regard to implementation of the SAI recommendations i.e. conclusions of the Parliament of Montenegro, hosts of the meeting presented a framework work plan of the Committee to SIGMA experts, pointing out to the fact that the Committee planned to hold control hearings of consumer units which were assessed negatively by the SAI in the reporting period. Furthermore, the participants assessed that the Committee should consider possibility of holding special meetings in order to review so called separate revisions that the SAI has been implementing in accordance with its plan.

At the end of the meeting, interlocutors assessed that the cooperation of the Committee and SAI was on enviable level and that there was room for its improvement.