06/03/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/04/2025 00:56
2025-06-03
[Link]On 3 June 2025, the High-Level Conference on the Security of EU Countries from the perspective of the Supreme Audit Institutions took place in Warsaw, bringing together the leaders of supreme audit institutions of European countries and heads of international organisations, including NATO and INTERPOL. The conference was organised by the Polish SAI on the occasion of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
The conference participants addressed some of the most pressing challenges faced by the European Union, including threats posed by cyberattacks, geopolitical tensions, hybrid warfare and critical infrastructure vulnerabilities and strategic preparedness of European SAIs for crisis situations.
The conference agenda focussed on three thematic sessions:
- Leadership Perspectives: Safeguarding Europe's Future in a Rapidly Changing World
- Navigating Modern Risks: Strengthening Cybersecurity, Resilience, and Governance
- Strategic Oversight: Auditing Defence, Security, and Institutional Preparedness
[Link]Irena Segalovičienė, Auditor General of the Republic of Lithuania, who represented Lithuania at the Conference, gave a presentation on Securing Tomorrow Today: Lithuania's National Audit Office Roadmap for National Defence.
"Audit in the area of national security is not only a control measure, but also a strategic instrument. It allows us to identify vulnerabilities before they become crises. Prevention is our strength, enabling the country to respond actively and strengthen its defence capabilities. At the same time, we must be guided by the principle that national security begins with the resilience of society - with people who are civically prepared, informed and confident. That is why the National Audit Office is paying and will continue to pay increasing attention to audits related to public involvement and preparedness for emergencies. Next week, we will present an audit entitled Preparing the citizens of the Republic of Lithuania for civil resistance, in which we assessed how institutions prepare the public to act in the face of threats," emphasised the Auditor General.
In her presentation, Ms Segalovičienė pointed out that the National Audit Office takes a comprehensive view of national security and is guided by three key pillars:
1. National Defence
The development and strengthening of the National Defence System define the main strategic directions for enhancing Lithuania's Armed Forces capabilities, focusing on the formation of human resources and the modernization of military equipment and infrastructure.
To address these issues, in 2023, the National Audit Office carried out an audit of Host country support, in March 2025, we completed an audit of Administration of the Lithuanian Armed Forces conscription and recruitment. Currently we are conducting an audit of Managing the implementation of the infrastructure project at the Rūdninkai Military Training Ground assessing the readiness to host the German Brigade, whereas in December 2025, we will start an Assessment of acquisitions of weapons and military equipment.
2. Resilience of the State
The pandemic has taught us many lessons, but while the threats are changing their face, they are not diminishing, therefore it is very important to assess the adequate readiness of state institutions to address them. To this end, the National Audit Office carried out several audits in 2022:
- Preparedness of institutions to respond to emergencies,
- Ensuring sustainability of health care in emergencies,
- Ensuring cybersecurity which proved the necessity to improve the cybersecurity assurance systems, and,
- Strengthening the State border security responding to the significant increase in illegal migration and the construction of a physical barrier along border with Belarus.
[Link]Currently we are conducting a compliance audit of Establishment, accumulation, management and administration of the State Reserve, and a performance audit of Modernisation of the Population Warning System and development of collective protection structures and shelters. In the nearest future we plan to launch an audit of the Organisation of the physical protection of objects of importance to ensuring the national security.
3. Resilience of Society
In her presentation, the Auditor General stressed that the strength of a State lies in the strength of Its citizens. This is why strengthening societal resilience is crucial and will be supported by the results of our audit of Preparing the citizens of the Republic of Lithuania for civil resistance.
The Auditor General also noted that it is particularly important in the area of national security to apply international best practices, share experiences and strengthen cooperation between supreme audit institutions from other countries. Only by working together can we contribute to a more effective response to contemporary security challenges and hybrid threats.
More information about current and planned audits can be found in the 2025 National Audit Office Activity Plan.