Skopje, 11 February 2026 (MIA) – Audit reports are a key instrument for oversight and accountability and must be seriously and thoroughly examined by MPs and parliamentary services, Parliament Speaker Afrim Gashi said Wednesday at the event “Strengthening Parliamentary Oversight through Increased Cooperation between Parliament and the State Audit Office.”

Gashi noted that in auditing the principle applies that what is not documented is considered not done, stressing that in the coming period the Parliament will focus on concrete actions to strengthen its oversight role. 

He announced three priorities: strengthening mechanisms for monitoring and implementing audit findings and recommendations, enhancing parliamentary capacities for interpreting audit reports, and aligning legislation with European standards, including the adoption of the new Law on State Audit.

In his address, Gashi also emphasized the importance of the partnership with the OSCE, noting that its expertise is vital for the effective exercise of parliamentary oversight.

According to him, OSCE reports and support are of exceptional importance for improving institutional accountability.

“When this cooperation is fully realized, oversight will return to Parliament, responsibility to institutions, and transparency to the public,” Gashi said, adding that accountability under such conditions turns into trust.

In his remarks, OSCE Ambassador to Skopje Kilian Wahl noted that international evaluations by OSCE/ODIHR, GRECO and the Venice Commission consistently show that a functioning democracy depends on how efficiently parliaments review the findings of oversight bodies and implement their recommendations.

“As Members of Parliament, you have a key responsibility to demand accountability from the government and institutions so that public resources are managed lawfully, transparently and in the interest of citizens,” Wahl said, adding that alongside adopting laws and budgets, oversight is an equally important part of Parliament’s work.

Wahl noted that the State Audit Office is one of the pillars of the oversight system, providing independent and evidence-based assessments of public spending and institutional performance.

According to him, audit reports, including those on the financing of election campaigns, provide clear analyses and recommendations that deserve parliamentary consideration.

He pointed out that this is particularly important in the context of elections, where timely parliamentary engagement regarding audits of campaign financing can prevent the recurrence of weaknesses and strengthen trust in the electoral process.

According to the Auditor General Maksim Acevski, auditing is not just about identifying weaknesses but is an instrument for improving institutional systems and strengthening financial accountability.

He noted that audit reports provide an expert basis for parliamentary oversight and democratic control over public spending, adding that monitoring the implementation of recommendations is a key element in completing the accountability cycle.

“Our citizens have the right to be confident that every denar is spent in the best possible way. The State Audit Office has been entrusted with the responsibility to ensure that public funds are used in accordance with the law and the best principles of financial management,” Acevski said.

He added that the adoption of the new Law on State Audit will confirm the institution’s operational and financial independence and improve the status of its employees.

Photo: MIA