NEWS IN brief

International Journal of Government Auditing, Jul 2007

Azerbaijan

New Chairman of the Chamber of Accounts

On April 17, 2007, Heydar Khanish oglu Asadov became the new Chairman of the Chamber of Accounts of the Republic of Azerbaijan. He comes to the Chamber of Accounts from the Ministry of Finance, where he had served as the General Director of State Head Treasury since 1996. Mr. Asadov is a graduate of the accounting faculty of the State Economics Institute and completed his doctoral studies at Marmara University in Turkey in 1994. He taught at the Azerbaijan State Economics Institute until 1995, when he was appointed Azerbaijan's Deputy Minister of Finance. Mr. Asadov is the author of three monographs and over 30 other scientific works.

For additional information, contact the Chamber of Accounts:

Fax: 994 12 93 20 25

E-mail: office@ach.gov.az

Web site: www.ach.gov.az

Chile

New Comptroller General

Ramiro Alfonso Mendoza became the Comptroller General of Chile on April 10, 2007, after being nominated to the post by the president of Chile and ratified by the Senate.

In 1988, Mr. Mendoza received his law degree, with honors, from the University of Chile. He has extensive academic experience in many institutions of higher education in Chile. He has also taught postgraduate courses as a visiting professor in Chile and several neighboring Latin American countries.

He has been a professor of administrative law in the University of Chile, the Catholic University of Chile, the Northern and Central Catholic universities, as well as the Gabriela Mistral, Finis Terrae, and Andes universities. Since 2002, he has been a professor in the magister (master's) program in business law of the Development University of Concepción and a member of the Academic Committee. At several universities, he has given classes in the master's programs in constitutional and public institutional law. Since 2005, he has been a professor in the diploma program of economic/administrative law and the masters of business law at Adolfo Ibáñez University. He has held an academic post in the master's program in public law of the Catholic University since 1992.

Before being named Comptroller General, Mr. Mendoza was a partner in a law firm specializing in regulatory affairs.

Mr. Mendoza is also the author of many articles on administrative law.

For additional information, contact the Office of the Comptroller General:

Fax: 56 (2) 870 13 94

E-mail : relacionesinternacionales@contraloria.cl

Web site: www.contraloria.cl

Georgia

New Chairman of Chamber of Control

On May 11, 2007, Levan Choladze was appointed the new chairman of the Chamber of Control of Georgia. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Choladze held a number of governmental positions. From December 2005 through May 2007, he was the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. He held several positions on the National Security Council from June 2004 through December 2005, including that of National Security Advisor to the president of Georgia. He also served in the Ministry of Defense as Head of the Defense Minister's office and Deputy Director of Defense Policy and International Relations.

Mr. Choladze is the coauthor of the Georgian organic law on the National Security Council, which was adopted in November 2004. Since 2004, he has chaired working groups elaborating a national security concept and national anticorruption strategy for Georgia. Mr. Choladze holds the diplomatic rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and the civil service rank of first class state chancellor.

For additional information, contact the Chamber of Control:

Fax: 995 (32) 78 81 84

E-mail: chamber@geomail.ge

Web site: www.control.ge

Hungary

State Audit Office Prepares Principles to Update Public Finance Regulation

The State Audit Office of Hungary (SAO) prepared a set of principles to provide the basis for drafting the new public finance regulation, which will replace Act XXXVIII of 1992 on public finances.

Developing the principles was part of the SAO's strategic goals for 2006-2010 to support transparent and operational public finance, reinforce budgetary responsibility, and initiate other necessary changes. In the framework of its advisory capacity, the SAO initiated the renewal of procedures applicable to the operation, planning, accounting, and control of public finances and full and consistent regulation of the financial management of public property.

Based on its audit experience, including expressing opinions on budget bills and preparing reports on final accounts, the SAO had proposed several times that the regulation on the management of public funds be comprehensively modernized. The SAO also offered to lay the foundation for the new regulation on public finances to give an impetus to the modernization effort.

The principles were submitted to the Hungarian National Assembly in May 2007 as an annex to the Report on the Activities of the State Audit Office of Hungary for 2006. The National Assembly viewed the principles favorably, and the regulation is likely to be drafted in the near future. The regulation will be based on the principles and will use SAO contributions to refine and clarify methods of improvement.