The Governor of the National Bank of Georgia (NBG), Natia Turnava, attended an event marking the 10th anniversary of the Service for Accounting, Reporting and Auditing Supervision (SARAS).

The Head of SARAS, Davit Mtshedlidze, opened the event, while Minister of Finance Lasha Khutsishvili, NBG Governor Natia Turnava, Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Finance and Budget Committee Bezhan Tsakadze, and World Bank Regional Director for the South Caucasus Roland Pryce delivered their opening remarks.

In her address, Natia Turnava reflected on the SARAS milestone reforms and achievements over the past decade. She emphasised that financial reporting quality, transparency, and accountability are no longer merely technical or formal compliance requirements, but foundational pillars for a healthy business environment, financial stability, and sustainable economic growth.

“High-quality, transparent financial disclosures build trust. Trust is indispensable for investors, creditors, financial institutions, regulators, and the public at large,” stated Natia Turnava.

The NBG Governor noted that SARAS’s oversight work is particularly important for the National Bank of Georgia; both institutions share the strategic objective of fostering a financial ecosystem where decisions are grounded in reliable and transparent data.

Turnava highlighted the institutional partnership between the NBG and SARAS, which has expanded steadily over the years. Notably, in 2020, the two bodies signed a bilateral cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening the oversight of public interest entities.

She cited the unified reporting portal, Reportal.ge, as a prime example of successful inter-agency collaboration, enabling public security issuers to submit and publish financial statements and regulated disclosures through a streamlined “one-stop-shop” platform.

Turnava also praised the Best Annual Report and Transparency Award (BARTA), noting that the initiative fosters a corporate culture in which transparent reporting becomes a core corporate value.

“I am confident that the scope of collaboration between the National Bank of Georgia and SARAS will expand even further in the coming years,” the NBG Governor concluded.

As part of the anniversary event, SARAS staff members and board representatives were presented with awards for their long-standing contributions. Among the honourees was Andria Manelashvili, Head of the NBG Finance and Accounting Department.