The Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic received today a delegation of the Parliament of the Kingdom of Norway. The delegation comprised the members of the Committee on Scrutiny and Constitutional Issues of the Norwegian Parliament, headed by the Committee Chairman Lodve Solholm.

Both officials deemed that Serbia and Norway share a traditional friendship and mutually good relations, and that this visit will help establish continuity and further inter-parliamentary cooperation.

The meeting focused the work of state audit institutions in the two countries.

The members of the Norwegian delegation stated that the office of Auditor General of Norway has been in existence since 1842 and functions as a completely independent institution which controls the expenditure of budgetary means. The most important function of the Auditor General is to conduct the annual control of budgetary expenditure, auditing areas of his own choosing at a time he chooses him/herself.

Greeting the Norwegian parliamentarians the National Assembly Speaker stressed that Norway’s assistance to Serbia is significant on the institutional, social and security level.

Talking about the activities of the National Assembly, Speaker Djukic-Dejanovic particularly pointed out that, in addition to its legislative function, it is necessary to strengthen the supervisory and control function of the Serbian parliament. The State Audit Institution, founded in 2005, plays a key role but is still in the process of being constituted. She also pointed out the major role the State Auditor plays in establishing control over the expenditure of budgetary means.

The meeting was also attended by the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway to Serbia, Haakon Blankenborg.