Reports to Parliament

Statutory disclosures had not been filed on all external contributions received by political parties and party associations. A large number of retroactive disclosures were filed during the audits.

The National Audit Office has overseen compliance with the obligation to disclose election funding and election campaign costs in the 2024 European Parliament elections as prescribed by law. All persons subject to the disclosure obligation filed an election funding disclosure.

The general government debt in Finland has more than doubled since the financial crisis. The Government's fiscal policy aims to strengthen general government finances and to curb the growth of public debt. According to forecasts, it seems unlikely that the Government's fiscal position target will be achieved, but the growth of the debt ratio will slow by the end of the parliamentary term. It is necessary to continue to strengthen public finances beyond parliamentary terms. The EU's reformed fiscal rules, the kernel of which is the debt sustainability analysis, were applied for the first time in the autumn of 2024. In the case of Finland, where debt is growing rapidly, the fiscal framework requires a rapid reduction of the debt ratio.

During the 2024 presidential election, the National Audit Office has overseen compliance with the candidates’ obligation to disclose their election campaign funding and election campaign expenses as laid down in the law. All disclosers filed election funding disclosures.

The NAOF's annual report covers all audits and follow-ups of previous audits completed between September 2023 and August 2024. The annual report includes the Auditor General’s review and the most important audit findings and recommendations compiled in seven chapters.

The National Audit Office has audited the final central government accounts and the Government’s annual report for 2023. The aim of the audit was to examine whether the final central government accounts have been prepared in compliance with the regulations and whether the budget and budget provisions have been followed. In addition, the National Audit Office also examined whether the Government reports on the state of central and general government finances and on the operational performance in its annual report as required by law.

The reporting on political party funding has been inadequate. Statutory disclosures have not been filed on all contributions received by political parties and party associations. After the audits, a large number of retroactive disclosures have been filed, which has improved the transparency of political party funding.

The economy in Finland has cooled, and the economic outlook is weak. General government debt in Finland has increased, particularly since the financial crisis. The Government's fiscal policy aims to strengthen general government finances and to curb the growth of public debt. It is nevertheless unlikely that the objectives will be achieved. The spending limits decision for the parliamentary term does not comply with the targets set in the Government Programme, and spending limits expenditure has been presented vaguely.

The National Audit Office has overseen compliance with the obligation to disclose election funding and election campaign costs in the 2023 parliamentary elections as prescribed by law. All persons subject to the disclosure obligation filed an election funding disclosure.

The significant challenges faced by public finances underline the importance of a cost-effective central government and transparent use of public funds. Through its audit activities, the National Audit Office helps to ensure that public funds are used in compliance with the law and Parliament's decisions and that the accountability of the central government is implemented. The oversight tasks of the National Audit Office promote the transparency of public activities and decision-making.

In the financial audit reports for 2022, a total of 12 central government accounting offices were issued with cautions on errors and shortcomings in the financial statements and notes to the financial statements or in the operational efficiency data. There has been a substantial increase in the number of cautions issued to the accounting offices on true and fair information in the final accounts compared to 2021 when a similar caution was issued to five accounting offices.

Ensuring that the functions for which central government is responsible can continue without interruptions in all situations is a key task of the government. This requires an active risk management policy at different levels of central government and in state-controlled companies. The focus in the risk and continuity management of central government is on safeguarding the functions that are important for the functioning of central government and society at large as well as on adequate monitoring of the risks to central government finances, government guarantees and liabilities and sufficient access to information on them. Proper functioning of state ownership steering plays a significant role in the latter area.