THE ROLE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF INTERNAL AUDIT IN ENERGY SECTOR ЕNTERPRISES

The internal audit in enterprises within the “Energy” sector, where the Bulgarian state is the principal, is an essential mechanism for ensuring transparency, accountability and efficiency in the management of state resources. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of internal control systems and provide an overview of audit activities, results and recommendations for improvement. To achieve this goal, the following tasks are addressed: 1) examining the scope and significance of internal audit in enterprises within the “Energy” sector, 2) analyzing the strategic and annual audit plans, developed based on risk assessment and the priorities of these enterprises; 3) attempting to identify the audit universe, including defining and classifying all areas subject to audit; 4) paying particular attention to the audit strategy (the approach to conducting audit activities) and the distribution of audit personnel in the context of optimal allocation of audit resources. The research defends the thesis that internal audit supports the sustainable development and efficiency of the energy sector by strengthening public trust in institutions and ensuring the good management of public resources.