'Voice for the Voiceless': State Comptroller Englman praises Israeli accountability reforms

State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman gave a speech on Wednesday at the 160th anniversary of the Romanian Court of Accounts praising the Israeli auditing reforms.

Englman is both the State Comptroller of Israel and President of The European Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (EUROSAI).

He was the guest of honor at the 160-year anniversary of the Romanian Court of Account and gave a speech as the President of EUROSAI.

During the event, he met with the Romanian president and Prime Minister, as well as key comptrollers from around the world.

Englman and US Comptroller General Gene Dodaro agreed to further cooperation in the future.

Englman thanked the President and the Prime Minister of Romania for standing with Israel in this difficult time and expressed hope for the safe return of the hostages to their homes.

"I would like to extend my gratitude to His Excellency, the President of Romania, the Prime Minister, and all the distinguished officials of Romania for standing with us in Israel during these difficult days. May we all pray for peaceful times and the safe return of the hostages and all civilians to their homes."

Voice for the Voiceless

According to Englman, the role of state audit institutions is crucial in being a "Voice for the Voiceless."

He described how the Israeli State Comptroller’s Office produced reports on social disparities and the needs of vulnerable populations, showing that audits can be powerful tools in helping to bring marginalized groups into the mainstream.

"These efforts emphasize our duty to scrutinize and address concerns that impact the broader public, thereby promoting transparency and accountability," he said.

"Our recent audit report on AI and the ongoing international cooperation on this topic underlines the critical importance of addressing both the opportunities and risks associated with AI," he told the crowd.

"As AI technology advances, we face significant challenges, such as distinguishing truth from misinformation, preventing misuse of autonomous weapons, and navigating the impact on employment. These issues highlight the necessity of robust frameworks and international collaboration to ensure that AI enhances our audit processes while maintaining public trust."

Englman highlighted that by making reports accessible to the public, increased transparency and accountability was possible and helped to make people feel engaged in the democratic process.