The members of the Task Force on Audit of Funds Allocated to Catastrophes and Disasters (operating within the European Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions - EUROSAI) met in Wrocław. Observers from Italy, Norway and The Czech Republic also joined the meeting. Altogether, they discussed, how to set SAIs' efficiency and economic criteria for using budget funds, when conducting audits in the sphere of prevention and consequences' elimination of disasters and catastrophes.
Disasters and catastrophes
Each country has its own, unique experiences related to disasters. Poles talked about the 1997 millennium flood. Ukranians shared their experiences from the catastrophe of Chernobyl. Italians mentioned earthquakes that torment their country. The participants of the meeting kept repeating that disasters and catastrophes know no borders or boundaries. A flood from Romania affects Ukraine and vice versa. Many of those events have an international range, therefore, assistance and prevention measures should also act as such. Hence the idea, of not only sharing the experience but also jointly auditing the use of funds employed in the event of a crisis. Participants of the conference also agreed that it is better to spend money on disaster prevention than on dealing with its consequences.
The session was attended by the Polish state and local administration officials Deputy Minister of the Regional Development Adam Zdziebło stated that while managing large funds the role of an independent and professional audit institution cannot be overestimated. The Vice-President of Wrocław Wojciech Adamski noted that from an auditing body he expects also constructive criticism. - I would like the results of an audit not only to identify errors and irregularities, but eventually to lead to an actual and real improvement in the functioning of a specific segment of the state organism - he postulated. The Chair of the Ukrainian delegation Mariya Shulezhko indicated clearly the most important aspect of an audit understood as such. - Depending on how we will prepare ourselves to fight increasingly emerging catastrophes and disasters, is the number of people we will be able to save.
The Task Force, chaired by the Accounting Chamber of Ukraine, comprises the SAIs from 11 countries: (Armenia, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Russia, Hungary) and the European Court of Auditors. In addition Norway, Slovakia and Italy, have the observer status. The meeting in Wrocław concluded by signing a common position on the International Audit of Funds Allocated to Catastrophes and Disasters.
