In Focus: Launch of Training of Internal Auditors in the Montenegrin Public Sector

On January 29, 2014, the Center of Excellence in Finance (CEF) and the Ministry of Finance of Montenegro launched the Training of Internal Auditors in the Public Sector (TIAPS) for the second generation of students from the Montenegrin public sector.

TIAPS is a professional qualification program, funded jointly by the German Stability Pact Fund, the Montenegrin Ministry of Finance, and the CEF. It is part of the Montenegrin government’s work to build and strengthen professional qualifications for public sector internal auditors.

As noted by Mr. Olaf Poeschke, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Montenegro, “The German government has very well noticed Montenegro’s efforts to push back the grey economy and to counter tax evasion. This project can be seen as a small but significant contribution to your efforts.”

TIAPS is implemented by the CEF jointly with the Chartered Institute for Public Finance and Accountancy. Ms. Jana Repanšek, Deputy Head of the CEF, commented, “We at the CEF believe that the internal audit function is vital for the development of the public sector. I am thus glad to witness that TIAPS has anchored itself as a sustainable and useful program, which enhances Montenegro’s development.”

Minister of Finance, Mr. Radoje Žugić addressed the new generation of internal auditors to be with the following words, “As internal auditors you are guards of public trust and you ensure the achievement of our joint goal – entrusted to all of us responsible for public consumption on the spending side of the budget. One of the basic principles of internal audit is continuous improvement of expertise, efficiency and quality of internal auditor’s work.”