Bilateral meeting with the President of the Court of Audit of the Republic of Austria and the Secretary General of INTOSAI

At the invitation of Ivan Klešić, the Auditor General of the Republic of Croatia, on August 21 and 22, 2023, the State Audit Office was visited by Margit Kraker, President of the Court of Audit of the Republic of Austria and Secretary General of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions - INTOSAI, and Silke Steiner, Head of the International cooperation at the Court of Audit of the Republic of Austria. 
At the bilateral meeting, among other things, the way of working and the results of both institutions were presented, as well as innovative approaches related to the possible contribution of external audit to better management of public funds developed by the Audit Court of Austria. The meeting also discussed the role of supreme audit institutions in emergency situations, with special emphasis on the views and experiences of colleagues from Austria. Further on, the meeting discussed the role and significance of state audit in managing ethics and strengthening awareness of ethics both within the public sector and within the supreme audit institutions, with reference to the experience of the State Audit Office of the Republic of Croatia. Likewise, the importance of functional, operational and financial independence for the work of supreme audit institutions was discussed, as well as the risks of reducing independence and the possible consequences for the efficiency and quality of their work. 
During the meeting, modalities for the continuation and further consolidation of cooperation between the State Audit Office of the Republic of Croatia and the Court of Audit of the Republic of Austria were also discussed and agreed in principle.