The peer review is a tool used ever more willing by the Supreme Audit Institutions while ensuing the highest quality of their work. The insight of other SAIs is very helpful for an office that assesses its own activity. The increasing popularity of peer reviews also results from the sense of responsibility of an institution that audits others. The responsibility for the quality of the performed work and its results - the reports in which the public funds’ spending is verified.
The peer review of the communication policy of the Hungarian State Audit Office was conducted at its request by the Supreme Audit Office of Poland and the National Audit Office of Lithuania.
Your invitation and the fact that you chose our offices is a great distinction. I am proud that you perceive NIK as an independent and credible institution - said Vice-President Jacek Uczkiewicz in Budapest, while thanking for the entrusted confidence.
In compliance with the signed memorandum the peer review teams from Poland and Lithuania focused their efforts on the communication of the State Audit Office of Hungary with the external stakeholders, such as other state institutions, other offices, universities, social organisations, non-governmental organisations and the public opinion via the media. While conducting the review the peer review team applied the International Standards of the Supreme Audit Institutions prepared by INTOSAI, as well as the experience of the team concerning good practice.
According to the presented report, the Hungarian State Audit Office actively communicates and publishes the results of its audits. It is significantly involved in an open communication with the society.
The peer review team highly appreciated the variety of activities undertaken by the Hungarian SAI in order to make the communication effective. The team also noted the major commitment of all employees in the implementation of the SAI’s new communication strategy, as well as selection and proper use of the tools.
The report of the Polish-Lithuanian team was presented to the Hungarian auditors during a meeting in the headquarters of the State Audit Office of Hungary, attended by SAI’s management and employees.
During the meeting the representatives of both SAIs also discussed bilateral issues - the chairmanship of NIK in the EUROSAI IT Working Group, the Contact Committee proposed support for SAI Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, and the chairmanship of NIK in the INTOSAI team for the review of the Code of Ethics.
The State Audit Office of Hungary (Állami Számvevőszék) was established in 1989. The office is headed by a president with the support of a vice-president. The presidents are appointed by the parliament for a 12-year term of office, with the possibility of re-election. Since July 2010 the SAI is headed by President László Domokos. The office is divided into five sectors: audit strategy, audit support, audit supervision, technical supervision and audit directorates. Each audit directorate comprises a Central Department of Public Finance Audit and a Department for the Local Government and Regional Audit. The departments conduct financial, performance and compliance audits. The SAI employs 613 persons, out of which 80% are audit managers and auditors, and has 19 regional offices.
