BiH is among the countries that are falling behind the most in the fight against corruption

According to the Corruption Perceptions Index list, BiH dropped 11 places, receiving the worst rating in eight years, and is among the countries lagging behind the most in the fight against corruption.

Sarajevo, 23. January 2020 – According to the Corruption Perceptions Index, Bosnia and Herzegovina was rated 36 this year (on a scale of 0-100), the worst since 2012. Since the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) has been based on the existing methodology, thus ranking among the countries that are continuously declining globally. In the ranking list of the Index published by Transparency International, BiH fell by 11 places compared to last year and together with Kosovo took 101. position of 180 states. Of the countries in the region, the best placed is Croatia, which is still three places behind and ranks 63rd. position, Montenegro and Serbia received the same rating as in previous years and occupy 66th and 91st, respectively. position, and Northern Macedonia is with 93. fell to 106. place and holds the worst position in the region.

According to the report, such a large decline in BiH was mostly due to irregularities in the conduct of elections, laws in the field of financing political parties and election campaigns, which did not allow citizens the right to free and fair elections, as TI BiH pointed out. campaigns. BiH is thus one of the countries that, due to the constant increase of the most serious forms of political corruption, are not able to provide their citizens with basic human rights.

Brutal repression and threats to voters, manipulation of voter lists and election results, along with the full mobilization of state resources in the service of the ruling parties, distance the country from political responsibility and democratization. As a result of irregular elections, BiH authorities have very questionable legitimacy, which further compromises the appointment of convicted criminals to the highest executive positions. Parliaments, deprived of any function of parliamentary oversight, reduce parliamentarians to mere spokespersons of party leaders, without the possibility of any of the anti-corruption laws, such as conflict of interest laws, political party financing or the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council, in a unlikely position to be adopted.

Full political and control of organized crime over the judiciary requires priority action. Unfortunately, the initiative of civil society organizations to conduct detailed inspections (vetting) of all judicial office holders was ignored by the BiH authorities, but also by the EU. This is also part of the broader problem of the lack of implementation of the EU Strategy for the Western Balkans.

“BiH is in a situation where corruption has become an official state, entity and cantonal policy, and this can be seen in every single move of institutions – if you analyze any appointment, tender, regulation, you will see that it is a very clear particular interest. behind them “, pointed out the chairman of the Board of TI BiH Srdjan Blagovcanin, commenting on the findings of the Corruption Perception Index.

Based on detailed and comprehensive analyzes, TI BiH has prepared a proposal of measures that should address the causes of corruption in a systematic way, related to improving the election process, reforming the judiciary with a focus on vetting, detailed systematic reviews and audits of the public sector and public enterprises. to result in their rationalization and depoliticization.

Press rls 23.1.2020.

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