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The OHR and the Swedish National Audit Office, the agency tasked with
implementing the BiH State and Entity audit institutions, express their
great concern about the lack of progress in establishing these institutions
and the consequences that this failure might have for Bosnia and
Herzegovina.
It is high time that the State and Entity authorities fulfill their obligations under the audit legislation and appoint the Auditors: the Auditor-Generals at the level of the State and the two Entities, as well as their deputies. Any further delay in this process will jeopardize the establishment of the supreme and independent audit institutions. Independent auditing promotes transparent State and Entity budgets, public accountability and good governance, which is of highest importance for the development of a market economy and democracy. At a meeting held in Sarajevo on Wednesday, February 18, international organizations discussed the lack of progress in the appointments and the possible consequences for Bosnia and Herzegovina of this failure. The meeting was initiated by the Swedish National Audit Office and co-hosted by the World Bank and the Swedish International Co-operation Agency (SIDA). It also included the OHR and International Management Consultants. Franz Brüner, Head of the OHR Anti-Fraud Unit, stressed the importance of the Audit Institutions in the framework of the Comprehensive Anti-Corruption Strategy for Bosnia and Herzegovina. The World Bank representative, Ms. Sebnem Akkaya, pointed out that the appointments are a precondition for the second installment of the World Bank PFSAC II credit. The final appointments are also a prerequisite for long-term institutional support by SIDA and the Swedish National Audit Office to the audit institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The OHR appeals to the responsible authorities to appoint competent professionals Auditors-Generals and their deputies without any further delay.
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