Bauskas Municipality Audit Department Conducted Eight Inspections in 2025, Capital Companies Not Reviewed
The Audit and Capital Companies Supervision Department of Bauskas municipality carried out eight audits in 2025 but did not inspect any of the municipally owned companies. The department's operation cost €87,821.53, yet no specific financial benefit from its work has been disclosed.
In 2025, the Audit and Capital Companies Supervision Department of Bauskas municipality (novads) conducted eight inspections in various municipal institutions, but none of them involved the municipally owned capital companies. This information emerged from the municipality's responses to questions from the local newspaper "Bauskas Dzīve" regarding the department's effectiveness.
The department employs three people: head Dainis Rijkuris, and auditors Ina Eiduka and Arturs Moisejs. Its total costs last year were €87,821.53, with the bulk—€85,721.93—going to gross salaries. The average monthly pre-tax salary per employee was about €2,440. Other expenses included health insurance (€639), one laptop (€1,386.79), and communication costs (€73.81). No travel or transport expenses were incurred, and no external resources were used for the audits.
Although an extraordinary audit of the Bauskas Children and Youth Sports School received public attention, leading to a complaint to the Ethics Committee, the results and benefits of other audits were not revealed. Notably, no audits were performed on the capital companies: Bauskas Hospital, Bauskas Municipal Utility Service (BNKS), Zemgale Oral Health Center, and SIA "Piebalgas,” a partially municipally owned company. The newspaper previously reported issues with these entities, such as delays in renovating the old hospital building, residents' concerns about medical service availability, and complaints about BNKS service quality. The municipality also plans to sell its shares in SIA "Piebalgas" after two years of delay, despite the company incurring losses last year.
Edgars Paičs, head of the municipal administration, explained that the internal audit department operates under Article 77 of the Municipal Law, aiming to ensure efficient management, risk management, and control. He did not specify a concrete financial gain from the department's work but noted that audits help identify risks and inefficient processes, saving money in the long run. Paičs also stressed that external experts were hired for a management change project to preserve the auditors' independence, as auditors cannot objectively assess changes they helped create.
