28 / 04 / 2026

Closing Ceremony of the Twinning Light Project “Improving and Strengthening Administrative Capacity of the Audit Authority for Audit of IPARD III Programme and Preparation for Future Certification Work for EAGF and EAFRD”

The closing ceremony of the Twinning Light Project “Improving and Strengthening Administrative Capacity of the Audit Authority for Audit of IPARD III Programme and Preparation for Future Certification Work for EAGF and EAFRD” was held on 27 April 2026 at the Hilton Podgorica Crna Gora in Podgorica.

The project, financed by the European Union, was implemented by the Agency for the Audit of European Union Programmes Implementation System (ARPA) for the needs of the Audit Authority of Montenegro. Project experts from Croatia and Austria closely cooperated with the auditors of the Audit Authority of Montenegro in order to achieve the planned objectives and results of the project.

At the closing ceremony, the participants were addressed by Ms. Agata Stasiak, Head of the Contracts and Finance of the Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro, and Mr. Veselko Grubišić, Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia to Montenegro. The importance of the project activities and the achieved results were presented by Ms. Ksenija Barjaktarović, Auditor General of the Audit Authority of Montenegro and Beneficiary Country Project Leader, while the implemented project activities were presented by Mr. Neven Šprlje, Director of the Agency for the Audit of European Union Programmes Implementation System and Member State Project Leader.

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, ARPA experts, and employees of the Audit Authority.

The general objective of the project was to contribute to Montenegro’s preparation for responsible financial management of the IPARD III Programme and, following accession to the European Union, for the implementation of activities under the EAGF and EAFRD funds, in accordance with the requirements of the European Union. In this way, the project contributes to fulfilling obligations under negotiating Chapters 11 – Agriculture and Rural Development, 22 – Regional Policy and Coordination of Structural Instruments, and 32 – Financial Control.