The annual report on the activities of the national authority for external audit for the year 2023 was presented to the deputies of the National Council of the Slovak Republic today in the plenary by the chairman of the Office Ľubomír Andrassy. Last year, the SAO, in its thirtieth year of operation, completed 35 audit actions in 135 state or public administration entities, issuing 227 recommendations for improvement. The auditors identified over 900 violations of binding legal regulations, leading to wasteful use of public finances, non-transparent decision-making, and actions of responsible employees. 

Last year's audits confirmed many negative trends that auditors have highlighted for several years. Slovakia cannot effectively guarantee the security and protection of citizens' rights, freedoms and property, and the crisis management system is dysfunctional. In the financial sphere, the primary management model appears to be one of bending or directly disregarding the law, and auditors have repeatedly pointed to the inadequate use of European funds. The poor state of health care, which has persisted for decades, is a sad calling card, as is the neglect of strategic work with young people, which the state is failing to manage. "In important public policies, we are lagging behind not only neighbouring countries but also developed Europe, and we have not been able to reverse this situation for a long time. In this regard, the institutions responsible are failing in strategic project management, and in this context, responsibility for not addressing or neglecting the situation is not being held accountable. This is ultimately reflected in increasing public mistrust of the state, but also in the several-fold overpriced development investments," warns the head of the National Auditors Ľ. Andrassy.

The state of public finances, coupled with the necessary modernisation projects on which Slovakia's new growth model can be based, places increased demands on the most efficient use of resources and management of public policies. "Here I personally see the essential role of the Audit Office, which we, together with nearly three hundred employees, take with the utmost seriousness," underlines the President of the SAO. 

The full text of the press release about this issue in Slovak language is available here.