Sergei Stepashin: Russia reputation in the world financial quarters is growing

The reputation of Russia in the world financial quarters is growing. As a RIA Novosti correspondent reports, this opinion was expressed by the head of the Russian Audit Chamber, Sergei Stepashin, to the RTR television in commenting on his taking up the post of the President of the European Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (EUROSAI).

Despite financial "scandals" in the past, "the reputation of Russia is changing," said Stepashin. "As to 'black lists' and scandals, we sometimes add fuel to the flame ourselves," pointed out the head of the Russian Audit Chamber. According to him, "there is a difference between what is going on in the country and how we present these developments, especially abroad." The world's increased trust in Russia, said Sergei Stepashin, can be seen also in "the latest meeting with George W. Bush, the coming Russia-NATO summit, and the Russia-European Union summit in St. Petersburg." The world "perfectly understands," pointed out the EUROSAI president, "that financial control has been established in Russia and that in the past few years Russia has done a lot to introduce order in financial control, in the use of budgetary funds and combating money laundering." The head of the Russian Audit Chamber, Sergei Stepashin, became president of the European Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions on Monday. The presidential powers of this organisation were handed over to Stepashin by the head of the French Audit Chamber, Francois Logerot, who performed the duties of the EUROSAI president for the past three years.

The ceremony of transferring the powers took place on Monday in the Kremlin at the fifth congress of the EUROSAI. Francois Logerot presented to Stepashin the challenge symbol of the EUROSAI - a crystal. Receiving the symbol, the head of the Audit Chamber of the Russian Federation said that "the budgets of our countries must be as transparent as this crystal." Sergei Stepashin will perform the duties of the EUROSAI president for the next three years.