The SAI of Slovakia President attended the Contact Committee Meeting

The SAI of Slovakia President Karol Mitrík and the Slovak delegation attended the Contact Committee meeting of the Heads of the SAIs from EU Member States and European Court Of Auditors along the SAIs from pre-accession countries in June 17^th and 18^th, 2015 in Riga, Latvia.

The principal themes discussed were:

• Seminar about preparing the European Fund for Strategic Investments;
• Prevention and fight against irregularities and frauds and cooperation with law enforcement institutions;
• Multiannual financial framework2014 - 2020;
• Activitiesof the Contact Committee and its working groups.

One of the important meeting themes was preparation of the European Fund for Strategic Investments that is a part of the EU investment plan in reaction to the European Council challenge to deal with a low level of investments the European Fund for Strategic Investments in order to increase the development and employment in EU. This Fund represents another opportunity for SAIs to contribute to effective use of funds for development and employment in the Member States.

There were four resolutions adopted during the proceedings, namely on:

• Independent assessments of reports presented to national parliaments;
• Prevention and fight against irregularities and fraud;
• Working Group on Structural Funds, and
• EPSAS Task Force(re-drafted resolution).

Integral part of the meeting was a poster exhibition in the lobby. The exhibition drew attention to important audits of the EU funds covering the two last years and the Contact Committee Working Groups activities. SAI of Slovakia presented a poster presenting two audits:

• Effectiveness of selected operational programmes management from the National Strategic Framework 2007 – 2013, and
• Effectiveness of selected operational programmes management from the National Strategic Framework 2007 – 2013 (Follow-up audit).

At the conclusion of the meeting, SAI of Slovakia President Karol Mitrík took over the Contact Committee presidency from the SAI of Latvia Auditor General Elita Krumina. In the following year, the SAI of Slovakia will chair the Contact Committee. During the Slovak presidency of the European Council in the second half of 2016, it will organise the Contact Committee meeting in Bratislava in October, 20^th and 21^st.  

After the Contact Committee meeting, the SAI of Slovakia President Karol Mitrík alongthe SAI of Latvia Auditor General Elita Krumina and the European Court of Auditors Vítor Caldeira took part at a press conference for the local media.