TALLINN, 3 March 2022 – Auditor General of Estonia Janar Holm sent a letter to his colleague, Chairman of the Russian Chamber of Accounts Alexei Kudrin, stating that due to the war Russia has started against Ukraine, the Russian Chamber of Accounts cannot proceed its Presidency of the International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions, which it has been holding since 2019.
In usual circumstances, the Presidency of Russian Chamber of Accounts would end this autumn, when the triennially rotating INTOSAI (International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions) Presidency would be handed over to the supreme audit institution of Brazil.
“I hope that when looking into your soul you will feel that the only right choice is to hand over the INTOSAI Presidency to the next Presidency, Brazil, without waiting for the official end of term in autumn (or find some other way to discontinue your chairmanship). I believe that you very well understand that this step is inevitable in order to prevent any further polarisation of the INTOSAI membership and tensions that Russia’s war against Ukraine has created. The role of the INTOSAI President is to unite its members, whereas Russia who has unleashed war can no longer continue chairing the INTOSAI in the current situation as it will not be in line with INTOSAI values,” wrote Auditor General of Estonia to his Russian counterpart.
Janar Holm states in his letter to Alexei Kudrin, that the military actions of Russia destroy the bridges within the INTOSAI, which ought to be uniting over 190 supreme audit organisations and the European Court of Auditors. „Just like the imaginary bridges between the fraternal nations, and the real bridges in Ukraine are burned. People on both sides are losing their lives because of the decision made by the President of Russia, whose activities have unfortunately destroyed for years even the hope of the Russian economy you were attempting to build up years ago when you were the Minister of Finance and initiated economic reforms,“ said Holm.
Current Chairman of the Russian Chamber of Accounts Alexei Kudrin is a well-known economist. In 2000-2011 he was the Minister of Finance, attempting to initiate some western economic reforms in Russia.
The Auditor General of Estonia reminds that the INTOSAI’s motto is “Experientia mutua omnibus prodest“ or ”Mutual experience benefits all“. „By adapting this motto to the current situation it can be said that the situation is just the opposite – from the terrible experience that the Russian state and its leaders are offering to Ukraine, to Europe, to the world nobody will win but everybody will lose. And the Russian people and state themselves will be the main losers.“
In his letter, Holm asks his Russian colleague to forward awareness of this to the authorities in whose hands is the decision to end this war immediately. „Unlike ordinary people in Russia who are threatened with detention or treason for protesting against war, you, using your high authority and status, will have the possibility to bring this awareness to the leaders of your country,“ Holm finished his letter, asking for immediate ending of the war.
The day before yesterday, the supreme audit institutions of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania declared that due to the Russian Federation’s war against Ukraine, they would suspend all cooperation with the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation.
Background information
The International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) comprises the supreme audit institutions of 196 states, the European Court of Auditors (full members) and five associate members. NTOSAI is an independent, non-political and non-governmental organisation which was established as a permanent institution to exchange ideas and experiences in the field of external audit between the world’s supreme audit institutions. The organisation has consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the UN.
The highest organ of INTOSAI is the Congress of members, which assembles once every three years. The work of the commissions and working groups in the time between Congresses is organised by the Governing Board. The General Secretariat assists the Governing Board and committees in the performance of their functions and arranges the organisation’s practical activities. The General Secretariat is managed by the President of the Austrian Court of Audit as the Secretary General of INTOSAI.
Priit Simson
Head of Communications of the National Audit Office of Estonia
+372 640 0102
+372 5615 0280
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http://www.riigikontroll.ee/
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Posted:
3/3/2022 8:55 AM
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Last Update:
3/3/2022 11:14 AM
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Last Review:
3/3/2022 11:14 AM