The second LEG SAI (Strengthening Legal Units within SAIs Initiative) Expert Meeting took place in Warsaw from 26 to 29 November 2024, in the framework of the INTOSAI DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE (IDI) of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI), on the topic: "Legal Units as Proactive Safeguards of SAIs Independence". 

The Hellenic Court of Audit was represented by Judge Counsellor Argyro Mavrommati, who delivered a speech on the topic of: "Upholding Legal status: Lessons from a Jurisdictional SAI". The meeting was hosted in the premises of the Supreme Audit Office (NIK) of the Republic of Poland. 

The four-day meeting aimed at exchanging views among legal experts on issues related to the protection of the independence of Supreme Audit Institutions, such as the proper and continuous evaluation of their legal framework, as well as the exchange of good practices to address common challenges.

On Thursday 21 November 2024, the planned visit of a delegation of the Supreme Audit Institution (SAI) of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to the Hellenic Court of Audit took place. The main purpose of the visit was the exchange views and good practices on the issue of audits related to the environment, climate crisis and forest protection. 

The Deputy Auditor General, Ms. Ha Thi My Dzung, accompanied by high-ranking officials of the SAI of Vietnam, in the presence of Ms. Pham Bich Thuy, Chargé d'Affaires of the Embassy of Vietnam in Greece, presented the audit work of their institution. 

The Court of Audit was represented by Senior Vice President Ms. M. Vlahaki, Counselor Judge Ms. A. Papapanagiotou, rapporteur Judges Ms. S. Tori and Mr. Em. Kalaintzis and the members of the International, European and Public Relations Department of the Court. The judges presented the Court's competences, including the pre-contractual audit, in which particular interest was shown by the officials of the Vietnamese SAI, and the environmental audits carried out and planned by the Supreme Financial Court.

On Wednesday, 30 October, a delegation from the Association of Young Employees of the High Institutions of the Netherlands (comprising the Parliament, the Council of State, the Court of Audit, and the Ombudsman), consisting of twenty young employees, visited the Hellenic Court of Audit to be briefed on its mandate and competencies.

The briefing on the functions of the Hellenic Court of Audit, both in its capacity as a Supreme Financial Court and as a Supreme Audit Institution (SAI), was delivered by Junior Judges Mr S. Tori, Ms K. Raptopoulou and Mr S. Petakos, the Head of the “Quality Control” Commissioner’s Service, Mr P. Chatziioannidis, and the representative of the Department of International, European and Public Relations and the Fourth Section, Mr A. Fragkos.

The visit concluded with a constructive discussion, during which participants had the opportunity to ask questions and exchange views on the topics presented during the briefing.

On 22 July, an audit team from the Supreme Audit Institution of Bangladesh (Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General), responsible for auditing the Embassy of Bangladesh in Greece, paid a courtesy visit to the President of the Hellenic Court of Audit, Ms Sotiria Ntouni. The delegation was accompanied by the Acting Ambassador of Bangladesh, Mr Bishwagith Kumer Paul.

The meeting took place within the framework of strengthening bilateral relations between the two Institutions. During the visit, the auditors and Mr. Paul exchanged commemorative gifts with the President and presented a letter ofgreetings from the Comptroller and Auditor General of Bangladesh.

On 25 June 2024, the President of the Hellenic Court of Audit, Ms Sotiria Ntouni, participated in the inaugural meeting of the Forum of Supreme Audit Institutions with Jurisdictional Functions (JURISAI), held in Casablanca, Morocco, on the occasion of the adoption of the Forum’s new Statutes.

The primary objective of the new Statutes is to upgrade the legal status of the Forum within the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI).

On 20 May, the Hellenic Court of Audit received a delegation from the Supreme Audit Institutions of Brazil — members of both the Rui Barbosa Institute, which since 1972 has served as the primary institutional, supportive, and scientific body for the 33 independent and co-equal Courts of Audit of Brazil, and the Association of the Brazilian Courts of Audit (ATRICON), the institutional body promoting Brazil’s external audit system for the benefit of society. 

The purpose of the meeting was to exchange views and practices in light of Fundamental Principle 50 (INTOSAI P-50), and to present the organisational structure and work of the Hellenic Court of Audit, as well as those of the Supreme Audit Institutions of Brazil.

The delegation was welcomed by Judge Counsellor  Anna Papapanagiotou, responsible for the portfolio of bilateral relations of the Court with national Supreme Audit Institutions, and in the presence of Vice-President Eleni Lykesa, they were received by the President of the Court, Sotiria Ntouni, in her office.

Subsequently, a technical meeting took place between the Brazilian delegation and Judges of the Hellenic Court of Audit in the Plenary Hall.

From 6 to 8 May 2024, Judge Counsellor Anna Papapanagiotou represented the Hellenic Court of Audit at the International Conference entitled “ The Exercise of the Jurisdictional Accounting Function: International Experience and Exchange of Best Practices”, co-organised by the Regional Procecutor’s Office of the Italian Court of Audit for the Sicilian Region (Procura regionale della Corte dei conti per la Sicilia) and the University of Palermo (Università degli studi di Palermo) who also covered the participants’ hospitality expenses. The Conference was held in Palermo, Italy. 

Judge Counsellor A. Papapanagiotou delivered a speech on “The role of the Hellenic Court of Audit in the fight against corruption to enhance development”. 

Representing the State Prosecutor’s General Office to the Hellenic Court of Audit, Junior Judge Eleftheria Kagkelidou gave a general presentation on the Court. 

On 22 and 23 February 2024, Mr Konstantinos Kostopoulos and Mrs Evangelia-Elisavet Kouloumpini, Vice–Presidents, represented the Hellenic Court of Audit at the International Symposium on “Liability before the Supreme Audit Institutions: Achievements and Prospects”, organised by the Court of Accounts of the Kingdom of Morocco in Rabat.