Polish model of supervision in the field of financial activity of local government – the genesis and tasks of the Regional Chamber of Auditors

Abstract

The aim of the article is to analyze the establishment and functioning of the regional chambers of accountancy (RIO) in Poland that play an important role in the current system of supervision over the activities of the local government. RIOs originate from medieval France, their beginning dates back to the 11th century when the role of this institution was to control public finances. In medieval Poland, the Court Treasurer dealt with expenses for court purposes, and the Tax Tribunal was established in 1591. In the Second Republic of Poland, there was no specialized body responsible for overseeing the financial management of local governments. Because of the political transformation in Poland post-1989, recognition of the need for the creation of regional accounting chambers emerged. The establishment of this supervisory authority was preceded by lengthy considerations, which resulted in the adoption of the Act on Regional Accounting Chambers on October 7, 1992. Nowadays, regional accounting chambers are very important institutions for supervising financial matters in local government.