On Holy Tuesday, 15 April 2025, the Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias, and the Governor of the Independent Authority for Public Revenue, Giorgos Pitsilis, signed a Memorandum of Cooperation between the Internal Affairs Service of the Ministry of National Defence and the Internal Affairs Directorate of the Independent Authority for Public Revenue.
The aim of the memorandum is the mutual exchange of technical knowledge, providing instruction, cooperation on matters of auditing financial conditions, and the improvement of auditing procedures and practices. The cooperation also aims at reinforcing efficiency of audits, combating corruption, safeguarding transparency, as well as protecting the Public Sector’s financial interests in the framework of fulfilling their responsibilities.
The ceremony for the signing of the memorandum, held at the Ministry of National Defence, was also attended by the Deputy Minister of National Defence, Thanasis Davakis, the Chief/HNDGS, General Dimitrios Choupis, the Director of the HNDGS Financial Audit Directorate, Major General Aristotelis Priovolos, the Internal Affairs Service Director, Colonel (Fin) Dimitrios Mastoras, and the Director of the Internal Affairs Directorate of the Independent Authority for Public Revenue, Sarantis Belias.
After the signing, the Minister of National Defence stated:
“Today, with my old friend, the Governor of the Independent Authority for Public Revenue, Mr. Giorgos Pitsilis, we signed a Memorandum of Cooperation between the Ministry of National Defence and the Independent Authority for Public Revenue.
The Memorandum aims for the Independent Authority for Public Revenue to provide technical knowledge and instruction to the Service of Internal Affairs of the Ministry of National Defence.
As we all know, for the first time in its history, the country is embarking on a long term planning of armament programmes. On the one called Long Term Defence Armaments Planning, which is going to be presented to the Governmental Council for Foreign Affairs and Defence tomorrow.
This means that the Greek taxpayer’s hard earned money is going to be invested in systems which will guarantee the security of the Country for the next 12+8 years, that is, for the next 20 years.
However, it should be – and is – the Ministry’s, and the Government’s institutional obligation, to reassure transparency in the management of the Greek people’s hard earned money. Therefore, this is why, by legal provision, the Internal Affairs Service of the Ministry will gain auditing responsibilities concerning contracts and the execution of armaments contracts.
In order to be able to respond to its new, much expanded role, it needs knowledge, technical knowledge. This technical knowledge – for which I am very grateful – will be provided by the Public Sector itself, the Independent Authority for Public Revenue.
I would therefore like to warmly thank the Governor, Mr. Pitsilis, for the willingness and kindness with which he accepted our request, so that we could do what is needed: Protect the Greek taxpayer’s hard earned money, while guaranteeing the safety of Greek society.
Governor, I warmly thank you”.
On his part, the Governor of the Independent Authority for Public Revenue stated:
“At the Independent Authority for Public Revenue, we systematically invest in internal auditing, we have developed structures for auditing processes, as much as for the auditing of individual cases.
We are now experienced in auditing financial data, and we are very glad to share this technical knowledge with the Ministry of National Defence.
It is an opportunity for us also, not only to transmit, but also to gain knowledge through this process, since we will come into contact with topics and areas where we can improve our own processes.
I thank the Minister for his trust, and of course the cadre of the Ministry of National Defence and the Independent Authority for Public Revenue for working intensively, for us to have in our hands the Memorandum of Cooperation we signed today.”
