King Felipe VI emphasized this Friday that the General Intervention of the State Administration (IGAE) has become a key actor in meeting the growing demands for transparency and trust in public management demanded by society.
Acknowledging the First Vice President of the Government and Minister of Finance, Maria Jesus Montero, the monarch attended an event in the auditorium of the Reina Sofia National Museum of Art to mark the 150th anniversary of the IGAE. He highlighted that its identity lies in professionalism and a steady push to improve public administration.
“It is impossible to imagine the provision of public services in a modern and social state like ours without ongoing, meticulous monitoring of the resources that finance it. Knowing how these resources are used is essential to building a responsible society, fully aware that the public burdens translate into infrastructure, services, and public benefits,” the king noted.
The king also stressed that public accountability is intrinsic to any modern state. “Responsible public management would never be complete without a system that guarantees that public funds are applied with maximum efficiency and full compliance with the law,” he said.
He further noted that Spain’s entry into the European Union and the Economic and Monetary Union has brought many advantages but also commitments to strengthen the European project, including the need for a shared European tax policy as a cornerstone, whose coordination among member states would not be possible without rigorous, reliable, uniform, and comparable information.
“In this regard, the contribution of the General Intervention as the body responsible for compiling the accounts of the public sector is essential to meet this need. It has earned a highly recognized prestige and has been strongly developed by European authorities who acknowledge the quality of the work carried out in our country,” the king underscored.
During his speech, Felipe VI recalled that the IGAE is the authority auditing European funds in Spain and highlighted its role beyond Europe through its participation in United Nations missions and forums, including the IMF, the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, or the OECD.
For the monarch, the history of the IGAE is “a story of success.” Despite upcoming challenges like digitization and the need to protect data security, he stated that “the dedication, professionalism, and rigor that characterize its work will drive the advancement and transformation of financial administration so that it becomes increasingly effective, efficient, and closer to citizens.”
Montero: the IGAE is also “Spain’s brand”
In turn, Maria Jesus Montero, the First Vice President of the Government and Minister of Finance, congratulated the IGAE for its “commitment, rigor, and excellence” in the work carried out over 150 years to guarantee the control, truthfulness, and integrity of public accounts.
“The accounting information presented to European authorities and all international bodies is reliable, complete, professional, and independent. And this is also Spain’s brand,” the vice president emphasized.
Montero also highlighted that the IGAE embodies “the unwavering commitment to the fundamental principles of democracy: justice, equality, and citizen participation.”
“Thank you for 150 years of dedication to public service,” the minister added, noting the extraordinary effort of the IGAE and its talent and professionalism that allowed the government to request the fourth disbursement of European funds linked to the Recovery Plan.