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On 24.04.2025, Mr. Milaim Abduraimi, General IPA Auditor, accompanied by Ms. Svetlana Dungevski, Assistant General IPA Auditor and Mr. Sherif Abdullahi, Senior Auditor, had a bilateral working meeting with Deputy-Director General, European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) Ms. Salla Saastamoinen in the premises of OLAF, Brussels, Belgium.

In the view of continuing achievements of mutual goals on safeguarding and protecting the financial interests of EU, both parties emphasized the critical importance of fight against corruption, fraud, suspected fraud and irregularities. General IPA Auditor, pointed that through the audit work, we aim to contribute to a greater transparency and accountability in the use of EU funds. Also, at the margines of the meeting, General IPA Auditor, stressed the need for support for capacity building through trainings, conferences, internships to enhance the auditor’s knowledge in the area of preventing and detecting corruption and fraud.

Within the framework of the one-week audit mission (03.03.-07.03.2025) of the representatives of the European Commission in Brussels - Directorate-General for Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood (DG ENEST), on 06.03.2025, a working meeting was held with DG ENEST at the premises of the Audit Authority.

At the working meeting in the presence of the Auditor General for IPA Mr. Milaim Abduraimi and the Deputy Auditor General for IPA Mr. Ivan Ignjatov, as well as the Advisors and Assistants to the Auditor General for IPA, special focus was given to the IPA III challenges and the important role of the independent Audit Authority in the IPA system.

DG ENEST expressed gratitude for the professional cooperation between the Audit Authority and the European Commission.

Further priorities and objectives of strengthening Audit Authority capacities were discussed, and particular importance for DG ENEST of the work and results of the Audit Authority linked with increased efficiency, effectiveness, and proper utilization of EU support via Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA).

On 13.02.2025, Dr. Ivan Ignjatov, Deputy Auditor General for IPA, accompanied by М.А. Ruzica Bosnakoska, Assistant Auditor General and Ms. Svetlana Todorovska, Principle Seniot Auditor, had a working meeting with Mr. Kevin Agius, Director General of the Internal Audit Investigations Directorate (IAID) in the Office of the Prime Minister of Malta.

During the visit, special emphasis was placed on the audit approach and methodology for auditing EU funds, the approach to conducting investigations and the strengthening of our future institutional cooperation through the exchange of audit experts from both audit institutions.

Many thanks to Mr. Kevin Agius, Director General of IAID and his team for the exceptional hospitality and openness to strengthening future inter-institutional cooperation.

On 12/02/2025, the Deputy Auditor General, Dr. Ivan Ignatov, accompanied by Mrs. Ruzica Boshnakoska, Assistant Auditor General and Mrs. Svetlana Todorovska, Principal Senior Auditor, made an extremely useful visit to the National Audit Office (NAO) of Malta! 

During the visit with Mr. Charles Deguara, Auditor General of NAO in Malta, Mr. Noel Camilleri, Deputy Auditor General, Ms. Tanya Merciezza, Assistant Auditor General and Head of Financial Audit Department, Ms. Rebecca Vassallo, Liaison Officer and Mr. Jonathan Vassallo, Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister of Malta, we had a very useful meeting and exchange of experiences for the audit of the EU funds were we introduced our colleagues in more detail to the mandate, tasks and responsibilities of the Audit Authority for auditing the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) in the Republic of North Macedonia and the possibilities for deepening future cooperation 

Many thanks to Mr. Deguara and his team for the exceptional hospitality during the visit.

During the period 4-6.12.2024, a delegation from the Audit Authority for IPA led by Ivan Ignjatov, Phd, Acting Deputy Auditor General for IPA, visited the Directorate-General for Agriculture (DG AGRI) in Brussels, Belgium. On the meeting was discussed the audit methodology for IPARD II and IPARD III, the importance of on-the-spot checks, the sustainability and functionality of the projects, as well as the need for continuous training for IPARD III.

На ден 23.08.2024 година во просториите на Делегацијата на Европската Унија во Република Северна Македонија-Скопје, се одржа работна средба помеѓу д-р Иван Игњатов, в.д. Заменик Главен ревизор за ИПА, и претставници од Делегацијата на ЕУ во Скопје, Штефан Худолин, Раководител за соработка и Сергеј Михајлов, менаџер на ЕУ проекти и програми.

The purpose of this working meeting was to strengthen the professional cooperation between the Audit Authority for IPA and the Delegation of the European Union in the Republic of North Macedonia.

На средбата од страна на претставниците на Делегацијата на ЕУ беше искажано задоволство од назначувањето на искусни ревизори со долгогодишно искуство во областа на ревизијата на ИПА и со потврдени контакти со Европската Комисија, како ново раководство во Ревизорското тело за ИПА. За време на состанокот, посебен акцент се стави на потребата од забрзување на постапката за законски предвидениот јавен оглас за именување на Главен ревизор  и Заменик Главен ревизор на Ревизорското тело. Од страна на г-дин Игњатов, беше потенцирано дека новото раководство е целосно посветено кон особено важните прашања за Ревизорското тело како што се зајакнување на капацитетите на Ревизорското тело, континуирано обучување на ревизорите согласно меѓународните ревизорски стандарди и добри практики, спроведување на политиката за мотивација и задржување на стручниот и искусен кадар,  зајакнување на соработката со Делегацијата на ЕУ во Скопје, Генералните Директорати при Европската Комисија во Брисел, Европскиот суд на ревизори, Европската Канцеларија за борба против измами (ОЛАФ), како и со Државниот завод за ревизија – како национална врховна ревизорска институција.

The Auditor General, Mr. Maksim Acevski, MA, presenting the work of the SAO and the achieved results, referred to the key observations presented in the Annual Report on the work of the SAO for 2023.
The Auditor General of Malta, Mr. Charles Deguara, accompanied by the Deputy Auditor General, Mr. Noel Camilleri and the Assistant Auditor General, Mr. William Peplow, presented the methodological approach and the instruments that can help in identifying the risks in the planning of the audit activities, as well as the significance of the strategic management of the risks to achieve the objectives of the audit.
Commitment to further strengthen institutional cooperation between the audit institutions of the two countries was discussed and confirmed, through the organization of joint trainings and the exchange of experiences on the audit approach and audit methodology, with a practical exchange of experts and the possibility of a study visits and internships for employees. 

https://dzr.mk/mk/241023-delegacija-na-vri-malta-vo-bilateralna-poseta-na-drzhavniot-zavod-za-revizija

The Deputy General IPA Auditor, Mr. Ivan Ignatov, together with the General State Auditor, Mr. Maksim Acevski, accompanied by the Deputy General State Auditor, Mr. Ademi, and the Assistant General State Auditor, Mrs. Janevska, made a working visit to the European Court of Auditors in Luxembourg and a meeting with the President of the European Court of Auditors, Mr. Tony Murphy 

During the visit, experiences were exchanged in the field of auditing EU funds, the challenges for auditing the new Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, as well as the challenges for auditing IPA III programs. At the meeting with President Murphy, special emphasis was placed on strengthening institutional cooperation through the possibility of internships and attendance at trainings at the European Court of Auditors, as well as the organization of trainings in the Republic of North Macedonia by experts from the European Court of Auditors.

A delegation from the Auditing Authority led by Dr. Ivan Ignjatov, Deputy Auditor General, attended a Regional TAIEX Conference of Audit Authorities for IPA, organized in cooperation with the Serbian Audit Authority in Belgrade, Republic of Serbia on 30.09-01.10.2024. 

Opportunity for professional discussions and exchange of experiences regarding audit approach and methodology of auditing EU funds and IPA III challenges, with the colleagues from the European Commission (DG NEAR and DG AGRI), the IPA Audit Authorities from Serbia, Turkey, Montenegro, Albania, as well as TAIEX experts from Czech, Croatia and Flemish Audit Authority...

On August 23, 2024, in the premises of the Delegation of the European Union in the Republic of North Macedonia-Skopje, a working meeting was held between Ivan Ignjatov, acting Deputy General IPA Auditor, and representatives from the EU Delegation in Skopje, Steffen Hudolin, Head of Cooperation and Sergej Mihaylov, Manager of EU Projects and Programs. 

The purpose of this working meeting was to strengthen the professional cooperation between the Audit Authority for IPA and the Delegation of the European Union in the Republic of North Macedonia. 

At the meeting, the representatives of the EU Delegation expressed satisfaction with the appointment of experienced auditors in the field of audit of IPA and with confirmed contacts with the European Commission, as the new management in the Audit Authority for IPA. During the meeting, special emphasis was given on the need to speed up the procedure for the legally foreseen public announcement for the appointment of the Auditor General and Deputy Auditor General of the Audit Authority. 

Mr. Ignatov emphasized that the new management is fully committed to particularly important issues for the Audit Authority, such as strengthening the capacities of the Audit Authority, continuous training of auditors in accordance with internationally accepted auditing standards and good practices, implementation of the motivation and retaining policy for the experienced staff, strengthening the cooperation with the EU Delegation in Skopje, the General Directorates of the European Commission in Brussels, the European Court of Auditors, the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), as well as with the State Audit Office - as national supreme audit institution.