New Serbian SAI President Delivers Inspiring Inaugural Speech
Through parliamentary election, Duško Pejović, PhD, began his term of office as President of the State Audit Institution (Institution) of the Republic of Serbia in April 2018.
During his inauguration, Dr. Pejović spoke of the Institution’s past, as well as its way forward noting that “the path that the Institution has taken has not always been an easy one. However, due to our strengths—employee knowledge, skills and expertise—the Institution has become well-integrated into audit trends.”
Dr. Pejović thanked the Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) of Latvia, Netherlands, Norway and United Kingdom, who have continued to support the Institution through numerous projects.
Milestones abound in the coming year, as the Institution is on track to publish its 1000th audit report and will mark its 10th anniversary as a member of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI). Dr. Pejović noted the Institution will also focus on providing audit services that are of quality and comply with International Standards of Supreme Audit Institutions.
“By providing high-quality audit services and protecting the financial interests of citizens, the Institution will strengthen public sector accountability and transparency…precisely what is expected from the Institution,” Dr. Pejović said.
He also stressed the organization’s need to maintain independence, strengthen capacities and partnerships and enhance stakeholder engagement by highlighting things that function well, publicizing those that are not, putting necessary resources in place and communicating.
The Institution has several collaborative projects underway, including the “Improvement of Financial Accountability of Serbian Institutions Through External Audit,” which is financed by the United Kingdom’s Good Governance Fund and the “Government Accountability Initiative,” a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) project that aims to increase government accountability at national and local levels.
Dr. Pejović graduated from the University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina with a master’s and PhD in economics. With more than 30 years of experience, he continues to be an active lecturer on accounting, finances and audit for budget funds beneficiaries. He has authored numerous publications, including the Public Sector Auditing Manual.
