Draft Law on Property of Public Officials of Sarajevo Canton is not compatible with other regulations and international recommendations

TI BiH particularly emphasizes that an initiative for creation and adoption of the Law on Conflict of Interest of the Federation BiH has been recently launched and that proposed solutions in the Sarajevo Canton could lead to mutual conflict of these regulations.

Banja Luka, 22nd January, 2019 – Transparency International in Bosnia and Herzegovina (TI BiH) sent a letter to the Government and the Assembly of the Sarajevo Canton pointing out that the Draft Law on registration, origin determination and control of property of the elected and appointed officials, holders of executive functions and advisors in the Sarajevo Canton (Draft Law) is not compatible with other legal regulations.

TI BiH particularly emphasizes that an initiative for creation and adoption of the Law on Conflict of Interest of the Federation BiH has been recently launched and that proposed solutions in the Sarajevo Canton could lead to mutual conflict of these regulations. Relevant international institutions and organizations (European Commission, GRECO, etc.) have been pointing our for years that it is necessary to harmonize regulations referring to conflict of interest and control of property cards. The Draft Law does not address the issue of the way in which the property origin should be examined, and mostly deals with the way the property statement should be reported. The anticipated bodies ( Anti-Corruption and Quality Control Office of the Sarajevo Canton and Committee for Monitoring composed of parliamentarians) that should implement the Law by examining the origin of the property or composing reports cannot be considered independent institutions.

TI BiH welcomes the announced activities of the Sarajevo Canton Government related to the anti-corruption fight, but it urges that prior to the adoption of the Law broader consultations must be organized with all relevant international and local institutions, including civil society and professional public.

Press rls 22.01.2019_e