New Challenges in Institutional Development of the National Audit Office of Lithuania

1. New Challenges in Institutional Development of the National Audit Office of Lithuania Dainora VenckevičienėChief Specialist at the Division for Legal MattersNational Audit Office of Lithuania

2. The Strategy covers the vision, mission and values of the NAO

3. The Strategic Development Plan should be implemented by the end of the year 2006.The planned aims and objectives should be attained in three stages: • preparation • implementation and • consolidation

4. The objectives to be implemented during this period: • To establish a legal framework regulating the activity of the NAO, and to adopt internal regulations • To develop a flexible internal organisational structure of the NAO and to assure efficient management • To conduct financial audit in compliance with the public (governmental) auditing standards that are established in line with the INTOSAI auditing standards • To adopt effective strategy and methods for performance audit. • To assure effectiveness of the audit of the EU funds • To establish criteria for staff selection and recruitment, to set standards for the assessment of the completed work, to implement the professional advancement system; to develop a comprehensive and sustainable staff training programme • To create, install and master an integrated IT system, and to assure its functioning • To intensify co-operation with the Seimas, audited entities, audit enterprises and the community • To participate in the establishment of the national policy on financial control and to co-operate with the internal audit units of public institutions and municipalities.

5. Priorities of the preparation stage • To establish national standards for public (government) audit and to develop audit manuals that would comply with the international auditing standards. • To restructure the NAO • To begin the implementation of the staff training and professional development programme by organising the training courses, seminars and study visits abroad

6. Priorities of the Implementation stage • To assure that the main procedures of the public (government) audit are in compliance with the internationally recognised auditing standards • To develop, install and use an integrated IT system in order to facilitate collection and processing of the operative information; to provide for the application of informational technologies in financial and performance audits, as well as in the management of the institution • To continue the implementation of the staff training programme

7. Priorities of the Consolidation stage • To provide for efficient management of the NAO and to ensure functioning of the internal organisational structure of the institution • To intensively communicate with the Seimas, audited entities, audit enterprises and the community, with an aim to consolidate positive tendencies in the public administration as well as to prevent illegal and inefficient use of the public property and funds • To seek substantial input of the NAO of Lithuania in the activity of INTOSAI and EUROSAI, and to ensure mutually beneficial co-operation with the SAIs of other countries