The closing ceremony of the Twinning light project “Improving the legislative framework and strengthening the administrative capacity of the Audit Authority of Montenegro” was held on September 7, 2023, at the Ramada Hotel. The Twinning light project, financed from EU funds in the amount of €199,999.95, was implemented in cooperation with the Croatian Agency for the Audit of European Union Programmes Implementation System. 

The general goal of this Twinning Light project was to improve the legislative framework and strengthen the administrative capacity of the Audit Authority of Montenegro. The specific goal and purpose of the project was to provide support during the closing of the 2014-2020 program period (IPA II) and the preparation of Montenegro for program management and control of projects financed from IPA III/ESIF.

The twinning project was implemented through two components, one of which includes the strengthening of the institutional arrangement and improvement of the legislative framework that regulates the work of the Audit Authority, thereby ensuring readiness for membership in the EU, and the other strengthening the capacity of the Audit Authority for the relevant activities of the closure of IPA II, for the audit of IPA III program and ESI funds.

In addition to the Croatian team of short-term experts, Hungarian, Irish and Swedish experts participated in the project, and with their knowledge and experience contributed to strengthening the capacity of the Audit Authority of Montenegro.

On this occasion, the audience was addressed by the auditor general of the Authority, Ms. Ksenija Barjaktarović, who is the project leader of the beneficiary institution, the head of the Department for Cooperation of the Delegation of the European Union in Montenegro, Mr. Yngve Engstroem, director of the Agency for the Audit of the European Union Program Implementation System , Mr. Neven Šprlje, in the capacity of project leader of the member state, as well as the ambassador of the Republic of Croatia in Montenegro, Mr. Veselko Grubišić.

On this occasion, Ms. Ksenija Barjaktarović presented the results and achievements of the Project through the implementation of activities from components I and II and emphasized the importance of established cooperation with experts engaged in the project.

The project implementation period was 8 months, and the project activities started in January 2023 and ended in October 2023.