10 / 11 / 2025

Opening Ceremony of the Twinning Light Project “Improvement and Strengthening of the Administrative Capacities of the Audit Authority for the Audit of the IPARD III Programme and Preparation for Future Certification Work under the EAGF and EAFRD Funds”

The opening ceremony of the Twinning Light project “Improvement and Strengthening of the Administrative Capacities of the Audit Authority for the Audit of the IPARD III Programme and Preparation for Future Certification Work under the EAGF and EAFRD Funds” was held on 6 November at the Hilton Hotel in Podgorica.

The project, funded by the European Union, is implemented by the Agency for the Audit of European Union Program Implementation Systems (ARPA) for the needs of the Audit Authority of Montenegro. Project experts from Croatia and Austria are closely cooperating with the auditors of the Audit Authority of Montenegro to achieve the planned goals and results.

At the opening ceremony, the attendees were addressed by Ms. Agata Stasiak, Head of the Contracts and Finance Section of the Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro, and Mr. Veselko Grubišić, Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia to Montenegro.

Ms. Ksenija Barjaktarović, the Auditor General of the Audit Authority of Montenegro and Project Leader for the Beneficiary Country, emphasized the importance of the project activities and expected results, whereas Mr. Neven Šprlje, Director of the Agency for the Audit of European Union Program Implementation Systems and Project Leader for the Member State, presented the activities carried out so far and the achieved results.

The event was attended by representatives of the Delegation of the European Union, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, the Ministry of European Affairs, representatives of the agricultural sector, experts from ARPA, and employees of the Audit Authority.

The overall objective of the project is to prepare Montenegro for sound financial management of the IPARD III Programme, and, following EU accession, for the implementation of activities under the EAGF and EAFRD funds, in line with the requirements of the European Union. In this way, the project supports the fulfilment of Montenegro’s obligations under the negotiating chapters 11 – Agriculture and Rural Development, 22 – Regional Policy and Coordination of Structural Instruments, and 32 – Financial Control.