The Project for the Development of Internal Financial Controls in the State Treasury Has Begun

Today, the Ministry of Finance marked the beginning of the Twinning project PHARE 2006 for the Development of Internal Financial Controls in the State Treasury. The main objective of this program, which will be carried out over 181 working days by 13 experts from Croatia and France, is to develop an effective system of internal control and audit that will make the work of the Ministry of Finance transparent and compliant with international standards and EU practices.

The project is expected to be completed by the beginning of June with the assistance of experts from the French Ministry of Budget, Public Accounting, and Public Administration. The project is fully funded by the European Union with €228,040 and is ultimately expected to help improve the management of public funds. The entire project, which is divided into three components – description of business processes and procedures, establishment of risk management in the State Treasury, and training of employees in the State Treasury – is expected to result in the development of a risk management strategy in the State Treasury.

The Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Ivana Maletić, stated that this project is important due to the introduction of new and advanced reforms that will further deepen cooperation between France and Croatia and emphasized that these „small paths“ lead us to the main goal, which is accession to the European Union. The establishment of the internal financial control system began back in 2004, before the official candidacy of the Republic of Croatia for EU membership, and its financing was also supported by the European Union through the CARDS program. This process has been enhanced over a period of five years and has now reached a more advanced and mature phase. The French Ambassador, Francois Saint-Paul, emphasized that he is very satisfied with the cooperation between Croatia and France in this field and thanked the representatives of the European Union who made this possible.  (Tomislav Vidaković)