site.btaAudit Office Reports 60% Increase in Fines Imposed in 2024

The National Audit Office reportеd a more than 60% increase in administrative penalty acts drawn up in 2024, bringing over BGN 350,000 in revenue to the state budget, its information service said on Tuesday. The Office’s 2024 annual report highlighted a 14% increase in recommendations implemented by audited organizations, corrections of BGN 4.1 billion in errors in the financial statements of municipalities and government bodies, and lawfulness audits of budgetary resources worth BGN 2.2 billion.

The document summarizes the results of 370 audits, outlines an objective picture of the state of the public sector, and proposes solutions for improving its management. “Our annual report will assist the National Assembly with reliable information to implement appropriate legislative changes and oversight. I am convinced it will also be of great benefit to all stakeholders, public organizations, NGOs, the media and citizens, for accountability, improvements, financial discipline, awareness, and public impact,” the Audit Office President Dimitar Glavchev said.

During the audited period, the Audit Office received 326 audit reports on financial audits of the 2023 annual financial statements of budget-funded organizations. All central government bodies were audited, while the audited municipal budget totalled BGN 13.7 billion, or 98% of their overall budget.

In 2024, there was a significant increase in the number of administrative offence acts. The Audit Office President acts as an administrative penalty authority under the Bulgarian National Audit Office Act, the Public Procurement Act (PPA), the Election Code (EC), and the Political Parties Act (PPA). A total of 215 acts were drawn up: 153 under the PPA, two under the Political Parties Act, 59 under the Election Code, and one under the National Audit Office Act. The fines imposed amounted to more than BGN 350,000. In 2023, a total of 134 offence reports were drawn up, 91 under the PPA, 17 under the Political Parties Act, and 26 under the Election Code, with fines totalling BGN 278,000.