Press releases

Enlargement back on the EU agenda: BiH can progress only with substantial reforms

Press releases ● 17 November 2025

The European Union’s enlargement policy today has stronger momentum than in previous years, with a clear commitment from the European Commission to open doors to new member states during this mandate. Despite the positive environment for enlargement, Bosnia and Herzegovina still lacks the political will to turn such an opportunity into real results. This is confirmed by the latest report from the European Commission, which clearly indicates a lack of progress in key reforms, as well as deterioration in certain areas, particularly those related to human rights and the fight against corruption.

This is why participants of the conference “Europe Calls – BiH on the Second Line,” held in Sarajevo and organized by Transparency International in BiH and the Initiative for Monitoring European Integration of BiH, emphasized that the upcoming period must focus on improving transparency and accountability in fulfilling the European Commission’s recommendations.

The need for depoliticizing technical processes on the European path was highlighted, which we have witnessed in recent years. When fulfilling the remaining requirements for accession negotiations, including the Law on Courts of BiH and the Law on the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council, it is crucial to fully respect the recommendations of the Venice Commission and other relevant international bodies. This process must be opened to the public to enable meaningful participation of civil society and other interested actors. Participants particularly emphasized that compromises should not be made at the expense of the rule of law and the protection of human rights, which has happened in the past and had long-term consequences for the functionality of institutions. These minimum standards must become a priority in the EU’s messages to domestic institutions to prevent the possibility of political manipulation of the European path during the pre-election period.

Participants emphasized that when appointing the chief negotiator, it is important to ensure full respect for constitutional competencies, but also to consider the expertise and experience of the candidate who should speak on behalf of BiH. At the same time, it is necessary to improve the capacities and functionality of existing institutions, including the Directorate for European Integration and the coordination mechanism, and to clearly define the roles of all involved actors during the negotiation process.

Civil society represents a significant resource for European integration, thanks to its expertise, long-term monitoring of reforms, and achievements in areas such as the rule of law, the fight against corruption, and the protection of human rights. Therefore, civil society should be involved in the development of public policies and their implementation and oversight.

The first major test for this approach will be the formation of structures for the implementation of the Reform Agenda within the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans. The Initiative for Monitoring European Integration of BiH is already working on mapping actors and preparing proposals for consultation models and the inclusion of civil society in this process. BiH institutions are expected to fully comply with the Regulation on the Establishment of the Instrument for Reforms and Growth for the Western Balkans, which clearly prescribes the active participation of civil society, especially in the monitoring phase of reform implementation. It was also emphasized that the content of the Reform Agenda must be accessible to the public so that citizens, media, and civil society organizations can monitor the commitments made by institutions and evaluate their performance. Experiences from partner organizations in the region show that transparency and quality information contribute to faster and more successful implementation of reforms.

The concluding message of the conference was that the capacity and willingness to monitor and support the reform process on the part of civil society exist, but that real results require the political will of institutions to recognize this capacity and enable its meaningful participation in all stages of reforms. Institutions are expected to demonstrate a pro-European commitment through the adoption and consistent implementation of reforms, and improved communication with the public so that citizens can more clearly understand the concrete benefits of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s integration into the EU.

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TI BiH and the Initiative for Monitoring European Integration are organizing the conference “Europe Calls – BiH on the Second Line”

Announcements ● 14 November 2025

Transparency International in Bosnia and Herzegovina (TI BiH) and the Initiative for Monitoring European Integration BiH on Monday November 17, 2025, at the Swiss Hotel in Sarajevo are organizing the conference “Europe Calls – BiH on the Second Line”.

The occasion for holding the conference is the publication of the European Commission’s report on BiH’s progress on the European path, where a civil society perspective will be provided on the level of fulfillment of previous recommendations and the report itself. Participants will discuss the current situation, plans within European integration, the new Reform Agenda, and the role of institutions and civil society in its implementation.

Ambassadors of member states, delegations of the European Union in BiH, international organizations, BiH institutions, and civil society organizations will participate in the conference.

Statements for the media are scheduled at 10:10 AM

Announcement and agenda

Agenda

10:00 – 10:30 Participant registration and welcome coffee

10:30 – 10:50 Conference opening and introductory remarks

• Åge Sandal Møller, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Denmark in BiH
• Anne-Marije van de Staaij, Deputy Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in BiH
• Ivana Korajlić, Executive Director, Transparency International in BiH

10:50 – 12:00 Panel I: BiH’s European Path through the Prism of Promises, Results, and Readiness

• Adebayo Babajide, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation in BiH
• Darija Ramljak, Assistant Director and Head of the Sector for Strategy and Integration Policies
• Adnan Ćerimagić, Senior Analyst, European Stability Initiative (ESI)
• Denis Džidić, Executive Director, Balkan Investigative Reporting Network BiH and Initiative for Monitoring European Integration BiH

12:00 – 12:10 Short break

12:10 – 13:20 Panel II: Reform Agenda – Who, What, How, and When?

• Amina Mulabdić, Directorate for Economic Planning BiH
• Fermin Cordobra, Policy Officer, EU Delegation in BiH
• Stefan Ristovski, Researcher, European Policy Institute (EPI) Skopje
• Edo Kanlić, Advocacy and Public Policy Manager, TI BiH and Initiative for Monitoring European Integration BiH

13:20 – 13:30 Conclusions and closing remarks

A responsible government has nothing to hide: Open all phases of decision-making by governments and parliaments.

Press releases ● 13 November 2025

Mostar, November 13, 2025 – Transparency International in BiH presented recommendations at the conference “Open Government for an Open Society” in Mostar for governments and parliaments to improve transparency in decision-making at all levels of government in BiH. This includes: establishing the obligation for timely and regular publication of documents accompanying government and parliamentary decision-making, publishing agendas and draft decisions before and after sessions, developing and enhancing electronic tools and platforms for citizen engagement and public discussions, ensuring public participation in working groups for law preparation, etc.

The event highlighted positive examples of proactive transparency from the BiH Parliament, the Government of Zenica-Doboj Canton, and the Assembly of Brčko District BiH. Practices of these institutions were presented by the Prime Minister of Ze-Do Canton, Nezir Pivić, the President of the BD Assembly, Damir Bučević, and the Head of the Public Relations Sector of the BiH Parliamentary Assembly, Zlatko Vukmirović. Despite room for improvement, these institutions lead in publishing key documents and developing digital solutions that allow citizens easier access to information of public importance.

However, the latest review of the level of proactive transparency in decision-making processes in Bosnia and Herzegovina shows that, despite visible progress, further and more serious improvements are needed for transparency to become the norm rather than the exception.

The research showed that no government in BiH regularly publishes materials from held sessions, while the Council of Ministers is the only executive institution whose minutes from held sessions are published, albeit with certain delays.

This fact, along with the fact that only 3 out of 14 governments in BiH regularly publish decisions on their official websites, indicates that citizens are not adequately informed about executive decisions that directly affect them, which reduces the level of trust in their work.

Although a slight improvement has been observed in the publication of annual work programs, which are now regularly published by seven governments, the publication of annual reports remains at an extremely low level.

The state of proactive transparency is no better in legislative bodies across BiH, as cantonal assemblies, entities, and both houses of the BiH Parliament do not regularly publish plans or reports on conducted public discussions, and only 6 out of 16 legislative bodies regularly publish reports on their work. A positive circumstance is that all assemblies regularly publish agendas, but access to other information remains uneven – still, 4 cantonal assemblies do not publish materials for sessions.

TI BiH calls on all levels of government to recognize transparency as a key mechanism for strengthening integrity and accountability of government in BiH. Timely, complete, and proactive publication of information must become an inseparable part of institutional practice, so that citizens have a real insight into the decisions made on their behalf. Therefore, in the coming period, TI BiH will again send initiatives to governments and parliaments with concrete guidelines and solutions for establishing more transparent practices.

The conference was held with financial support from Sweden and Denmark.

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International Right to Know Day: Citizens’ right to information must be fully guaranteed

Press releases ● 30 September 2025

Sarajevo, September 30, 2025 – A weak legal framework at all levels still allows institutions to hide information of public interest, undermining transparency and reducing the accountability of public institutions. The new law at the BiH level, presented as reformative, has brought new challenges in implementation, as warned by civil society organizations. This was conveyed at a round table organized by Transparency International in BiH and the association Your Rights BiH, with the support of the European Union, on the occasion of International Right to Know Day.

The gathering presented initiatives to improve the legal framework at all levels of government, in response to the practice where institutions used legal loopholes to prolong disputes, did not consistently comply with court decisions, and restricted public access to information crucial for promoting transparency and accountability.

At the entity level, institutions are still not required to proactively and regularly publish key information of public importance such as budgets, contracts, reports, while the new law at the state level still does not yield the expected results. Therefore, the initiative proposes measures to address key shortcomings of the legal framework:

• In RS and FBiH, introduce provisions on proactive transparency, prescribe inspection oversight, misdemeanor provisions, and fines for violations of the law.
• At the BiH level, prescribe sanctions for non-compliance with legally prescribed deadlines, change the policy of imposing fines, and establish an independent second-instance decision-making mechanism for appeals.

In Brčko District, a particular challenge remains the absence of a law regulating this area for two years.

The adoption of a new law at the BiH level has brought certain improvements, including provisions on proactive transparency. At the same time, it has created new grounds on which institutions can deny access to information, raising concerns that information of public importance may remain inaccessible to citizens and the media. An Appeals Council was also established within the BiH Council of Ministers, questioning the independence of this body.

According to TI BiH data from the beginning of 2024 to June 2025, the Council received 108 appeals, of which 12 were dismissed, 20 were upheld, while in 62 cases the appeal was rejected. So far, 15 administrative disputes have been initiated against the Council’s decisions, and the BiH Court has issued two judgments, one accepting the lawsuit and one rejecting it.

• These indicators clearly show that the existing second-instance mechanism for protecting the right to access information is not sufficiently functional and independent, and its engagement in improving legal protection is completely lacking. We call on the competent institutions to establish an independent and impartial body to decide on appeals in access to information procedures, in accordance with best practices in the region and international recommendations, as stated by TI BiH.

The gathering highlighted that BiH still faces serious challenges in implementing the freedom of information law, including inconsistency in decision-making, institutional delays, and a lack of proactive transparency. Participants exchanged experiences and presented proposals for improving the law, aiming to strengthen institutional accountability and ensure consistent application of this right at all levels of government.

Aurelie Valtat, Head of the Sector for European Integration, Political Affairs, Media, and Information at the EU Delegation in BiH, stated: “The European Union has long supported reforms that strengthen transparency, accountability, and good governance in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The new state Freedom of Information Act must be translated into real practice, not remain just a dead letter. To this end, with our support, Transparency International BiH and Your Rights BiH have developed an online platform that facilitates the submission and tracking of information access requests. We call on institutions, civil society, and the media to seize this moment to make transparency a reality for all citizens.”

Initiatives to improve the laws regulating this area will be submitted to governments and legislative bodies at all levels. Representatives of the media and civil society organizations, who submit the majority of requests to institutions, called on the authorities to ensure a transparent process and avoid repeating the shortcomings observed during the adoption of the law at the state level.

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Initiative for Monitoring the European Integration: Bosnia and Herzegovina risks losing an additional 108 million euros if it does not adopt the Reform Agenda.

Press releases ● 20 September 2025

Sarajevo, 20. September 2024 – The Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina did not adopt the Reform Agenda at its last session, risking the loss of an additional 108 million euros. While countries in the region are already utilizing funds from the Growth Plan, Bosnia and Herzegovina still does not have access to the funds because domestic politicians have not agreed on the text of the Reform Agenda. Due to delays, 108.5 million euros have already been lost, and the European Union has warned that funds for Bosnia and Herzegovina will be reduced again by the same amount if the document is not adopted by the end of September 2025. .

Therefore, the Initiative for Monitoring the European Integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a coalition of civil society organizations, calls on parliamentary clubs in the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina to request an urgent session dedicated to the country’s European path. This session should discuss the adoption of the Reform Agenda within the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans and the consequences its non-adoption has for the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is the only country in the Western Balkans that has not adopted the Reform Program, known publicly as the Reform Agenda, a year after the deadline, which has already led to a significant reduction in funds. The fact that even after this sanction, the Council of Ministers has not reached an agreement shows that the warnings of the European Union have not been taken seriously and that additional institutional engagement and calls for political accountability are needed. The irresponsible behavior so far directly harms citizens, further undermines Bosnia and Herzegovina’s credibility in the European integration process, and sends a negative signal to investors about the country’s stability and predictability.

The non-adoption of the Reform Agenda best illustrates the stagnation on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s European path. Since the approval of the negotiation status in March 2024, none of the key conditions for holding the first Intergovernmental Conference between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the EU have been met. Reports and conclusions from EU institutions adopted over the past year also point to stagnation and regression in many areas.

The Council of Ministers has not taken these warnings seriously, which is why parliamentarians, as directly elected representatives of the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, must demonstrate political responsibility and use their competencies. Members of the Initiative call on representatives to support the initiative for an urgent session of the House of Representatives and to obligate the Council of Ministers to urgently adopt the Reform Program before the deadline for adoption and new sanctions.

European integration is Bosnia and Herzegovina’s most important foreign policy goal and requires a cross-party approach. Broad support from all parliamentary clubs would be a clear signal of responsibility and readiness to continue Bosnia and Herzegovina’s European path. This is an opportunity for the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, ahead of Commissioner Marta Kos’s visit, to show that it has the strength to oversee the executive branch and can direct reform processes in the interest of citizens.

Initiative for Monitoring the European Integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Members of the Initiative:

Transparency International in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Sarajevski otvoreni centar

Balkan Investigative Reporting Network Bosnia and Herzegovina

Center for Investigative Reporting

Your Rights Bosnia and Herzegovina

Citizens’ Association “Why Not”

Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly of Banja Luka

Association for Democratic Initiatives

Association of BH Journalists

Youth Center KVART

Foundation CURE

MyRight

Women’s Association “Make a Difference”

Trag Foundation

Sharp zero

Roma Information Center Kali Sara

Association “Aarhus Center in Bosnia and Herzegovina”

Association “Land of Children”

TRIAL International in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Youth Initiative for Human Rights Bosnia and Herzegovina

Foreign Policy Initiative Bosnia and Herzegovina

Association “To PeeR”

Network for Building Peace

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TI BiH on the failure to adopt the Reform Agenda: Bosnia and Herzegovina is losing hundreds of millions due to the personal interests of individuals

Press releases ● 27 August 2025

Sarajevo, 27 August 2025 – The Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina once again failed to discuss the Reform Agenda at today’s session. Due to this delay, Bosnia and Herzegovina lost €108.5 million in July — equivalent to 10% of the funds allocated under the Growth Plan. While neighbouring countries are already making significant use of these funds, BiH continues to lag behind, even compared to those that obtained their European perspective much later. Transparency International in Bosnia and Herzegovina (TI BiH) therefore calls on the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH to hold a special session and adopt conclusions that will oblige the Council of Ministers to adopt the Reform Agenda without further delay. The authorities have repeatedly missed the deadlines they set themselves, and the European Commission has announced another 10% reduction if the Reform Agenda is not adopted by the end of September.

It is evident that key decision-makers in BiH continue long-standing obstructions of the EU integration process, despite the fact that the implementation of these reforms is crucial for establishing an effective rule of law and combating corruption. Once again, the authorities have placed daily politics, personal and party interests above the interests of citizens and the country’s foreign policy priorities. With such an approach, the real challenges are yet to come in the implementation phase, especially considering the level of obstruction already visible in adopting the Reform Agenda, where only two out of 113 measures remain disputed — the removal of the entity veto in the State Aid Council, and the obligation to respect and fill vacant positions in the Constitutional Court of BiH.

However, many other measures included in this document have been repeatedly identified as priorities on BiH’s EU path, yet have never been fulfilled. It is therefore clear that the dispute over these two measures merely serves as a pretext to sabotage the entire EU integration process.

It should also be stressed that the drafting of the Reform Agenda has been marked by a complete lack of transparency. The Council of Ministers failed to communicate about the process, and the public learned about disagreements only through opposing statements from political parties, rather than through official channels of institutions responsible for managing EU integration. Parliaments and their competent committees have remained silent observers, without taking steps to place this issue on the agenda or exert pressure on the executive to adopt the Reform Agenda.

This process also clearly demonstrates that the coordination mechanism for EU integration, established in 2016, does not function as intended and is being misused in key processes — from responding to the European Commission Questionnaire, to drafting the Integration Programme, and now the Reform Agenda. The voting rights of all levels of government, combined with the rule of unanimity regardless of actual competences, have turned the coordination mechanism bodies into instruments of obstruction rather than drivers of reform progress.

TI BiH therefore urges the Council of Ministers of BiH to adopt the Reform Agenda without delay, fully aligning it with the requirements of the European Commission, to ensure access to funds under the Western Balkans Growth Plan. TI BiH also calls on parliaments and their committees for European integration to hold thematic sessions and hearings to raise this issue publicly, exert pressure on the executive to open the process to citizens, and reassess the functionality of the coordination mechanism.

TI BiH further calls on competent institutions to stop misusing the European integration process and ensure that all laws and policies on the EU path are adopted through regular procedures, with mandatory public consultations.

Conflict of Interest in the Appointment of the HJPC Secretariat Director: Ministry of Justice Secretary Evaluated the Minister’s Chief of Cabinet

Press releases ● 13 July 2025

Banja Luka, 13 July 2025 – The High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina (HJPC) appointed Ivana Zovko-Planinić as Director of the HJPC Secretariat, despite warnings from Transparency International in Bosnia and Herzegovina (TI BiH) regarding bias and a potential conflict of interest in her appointment.

The Civil Service Agency of BiH conducted the competition for the position, ranking Zovko-Planinić—currently Chief of Cabinet at the Ministry of Justice of BiH and former adviser to Presidency member Dragan Čović—as the best candidate. One of the commission members evaluating candidates was Željko Bogut, Secretary at the same ministry. This was confirmed by information obtained by TI BiH from the Civil Service Agency, indicating that such a composition of the commission can hardly be considered coincidental.

Given that both the candidate and a member of the selection commission are employed by the same institution, there are reasonable grounds to suspect bias during the evaluation process. Therefore, according to TI BiH’s interpretation, Bogut should have recused himself from the commission.

The Law on Civil Service in the Institutions of BiH clearly stipulates that a member of a selection commission must resign if a conflict of interest exists. The same law repeatedly underlines the obligation of independence and impartiality of competition commissions and emphasizes the duty to avoid any potential conflict of interest.

TI BiH requested copies of the minutes from the competition commission that evaluated the applications from the Civil Service Agency of BiH, and submitted information about this case to the Agency’s leadership, the HJPC, and each Council member individually, urging a review of the appointment and the entire selection procedure.

Although TI BiH appealed to HJPC members to consider these circumstances when deciding on the appointment, the Council nevertheless appointed Zovko-Planinić, disregarding integrity concerns surrounding the selection process for such a crucial position.

The HJPC Secretariat supports and organizes the work of the Council, implements its decisions, manages the budget, and performs tasks essential for the functioning of the judiciary. Any indication of bias or lack of independence in the appointment of its director could have far-reaching consequences for public trust in the integrity of the HJPC and the wider judiciary, already undermined by numerous scandals.

This case is yet another example showing that appointments in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s key judicial institutions remain subject to open political influence, prevailing over legally prescribed procedures, while merit, integrity, and independence continue to play only a marginal role.

Para-intelligence services as a sign of open dictatorship: The government introduces parallel institutions to maintain the regime

Press releases ● 30 June 2025

Banja Luka, 30. June 2025. year – The Draft Law on the Protection of the Constitutional Order, through which the government in the Republic of Srpska seeks to establish para-intelligence services with the aim of intimidation, represents the official transition of this entity into an open form of dictatorship where the persecution of political dissenters is legalized.

The law, which ironically deals with the protection of the constitutional order, contains numerous provisions that are questionable in terms of constitutionality, such as the establishment of a special “Service for the Protection of the Constitutional Order” under the direct control of the President, which has a wide range of competencies, such as “researching, collecting, processing, and analyzing intelligence data and information relevant to the security of the Republic of Srpska.” This leaves room for arbitrary persecution of individuals deemed to be a threat to the ruling system in RS.

Furthermore, the mentioned service would be headed by a director appointed by the President of the Republic of Srpska himself, which actually shows that the law is being enacted solely to maintain the regime of Milorad Dodik, under the guise of protecting the constitutional order, which is a characteristic of a military junta, not a democratic regime.

The law also provides for the establishment of a Special Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Srpska for the protection of the constitutional order of the Republic of Srpska, responsible for prosecuting a range of criminal offenses already defined by the Criminal Code of RS, while the prosecutors would be appointed by the National Assembly of RS. In addition to overlapping competencies and legal uncertainty, this contradicts the existing legal framework that regulates the appointment of holders of judicial functions and creates a parallel judicial system open to direct political influence and party control over the prosecution of these criminal offenses.

The ruling coalition, led by the political goals of Milorad Dodik, already attempted to pass this law in March, which was voted on in the National Assembly of the Republic of Srpska, but the Constitutional Court of RS decided that the law does not provide for proportional representation of all constituent peoples, which is why it was returned for revision.

TI BiH reminds that the current government in the Republic of Srpska has enacted a series of laws that suppress media freedom, expression, association, and public assembly, all with the aim of stifling criticism and dissent, as well as those who point out abuses and potential cases of corruption.

This has demonstrated, and the latest proposal of the Law on the Protection of the Constitutional Order of RS confirms, the unequivocal intention of the regime in RS to use all means, even unconstitutional ones, to establish complete control over all institutions and segments of society and ensure the absolute power of the regime.

TI BiH particularly emphasizes that in the Republic of Srpska there has long been an atmosphere of lynching, persecution of the opposition, independent media, and civil society, accompanied by direct calls for violence, and the instrumentalization of the judiciary to deal with the opposition, thereby creating an environment of insecurity for dissenters and those who criticize the public authorities.

Transparency International in BiH therefore calls for an urgent abandonment of the adoption of this and similar legal solutions, and to ensure the fundamental protection of the basic rights of all citizens.

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World Whistleblower Day in BiH: Fewer Reports, Citizens Without Protection and Trust in Institutions

Press releases ● 23 June 2025

Banja Luka, 23. June 2025 –

Only one person decided to seek protection from the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption and Coordination of the Fight Against Corruption (APIK), but even that request was rejected, which clearly illustrates the state of protection for individuals reporting corruption, the so-called “whistleblowers” in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The situation in the entities is even more unfavorable – in the Republic of Srpska, not a single request for whistleblower protection was submitted last year, while steps were taken to reduce the already limited scope of protection for potential whistleblowers.

The situation is no better in the Federation of BiH, although TI BiH receives most reports from this entity where the biggest problem is the absence of a law protecting potential whistleblowers. An exception is the Sarajevo Canton, which enacted its law in 2023, resulting in 6 individuals receiving protected whistleblower status out of a total of 8 submitted requests, placing other citizens of this entity in a discriminatory position.

The urgent need for changes is also highlighted by the fact that Transparency International BiH received 21 reports from individuals who can be classified as whistleblowers in 2024, while in the first five months of this year, there were as many as 16 reports, indicating that citizens place more trust in non-governmental organizations than in institutions when it comes to fighting corruption, which should not be surprising given that civil society organizations currently provide the highest level of protection to whistleblowers in BiH.

Among the key steps is the drafting of a new Law on the Protection of Whistleblowers at the BiH level, on which the Ministry of Justice of BiH is working, and to which TI BiH has submitted proposals to ensure full and effective protection of whistleblowers. These proposals, among other things, envisage the right of citizens to choose to report irregularities within the institution or outside it, including the possibility of addressing the media, without fear of retaliation. Special attention needs to be paid to preventing pressure on whistleblowers when seeking protection and eliminating the possibility of questioning the “good faith” or motives of the reporters, which has often deterred reporters from seeking protection and reporting corruption.

In addition to these provisions, the new Law must clearly recognize situations where whistleblowers suffer harmful consequences despite having protected whistleblower status and ensure effective institutional action in such situations.

The low level of trust among citizens in the legal protection of witnesses and victims of corruption stems not only from the lack of laws but also from their weak implementation, as well as the atmosphere of public condemnation, intimidation, and open threats from the highest political officials directed at anyone who dares to criticize the work of institutions and publicly point out corruption.

The effectiveness of the fight against corruption in Bosnia and Herzegovina is also diminished by the inadequate response of the courts in BiH, which have increased the number of acquittals in corruption cases by 20% in 2024 compared to the previous year. At the same time, prosecutors have reduced the number of open investigations, while the lowest number of indictments for corruption offenses in the last four years has been recorded, despite the fact that BiH, according to CPI findings, is the second most corrupt country in Europe.

Although whistleblower reports are the most effective way to detect, prosecute, and prevent corruption, the lack of positive examples and sanctions for corruption, the absence of laws, and their weak implementation are additional signals to citizens not to report it.

Therefore, TI BiH appeals to the Ministry of Justice of BiH to ensure full compliance with international conventions and EU directives that guarantee full and effective protection of whistleblowers when drafting the new Law on the Protection of Whistleblowers. In addition, Transparency International in BiH expresses hope that the Parliament of the Federation of BiH will recognize this issue as crucial and adopt the Law currently in procedure as soon as possible to ensure adequate protection for all citizens who report corruption in the Federation of BiH.

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TI BIH appeals to the Brčko District Assembly: Enable public discussion on the new Freedom of Information Act

Press releases ● 03 June 2025

Banja Luka, 03. June 2025: Transparency International BiH has requested the Brčko District Assembly of BiH to submit the draft Freedom of Information Act for public discussion to improve provisions, protect citizens’ rights, and enable the involvement of a broader interested public.

The content of this law directly affects citizens’ rights to access information of public importance, as well as the work of journalists and civil society organizations that monitor government activities. In recent days, we have received several reactions and warnings that the proposed solution will further enable authorities to hide information of public interest.

This regulation concerns all citizens for whom it is the only mechanism to obtain information under the control of public authorities. Unfortunately, the proposed solution eliminates the possibility of appealing the decision of the authority from which information is requested, so those who wish to protect their rights will have to engage in legal proceedings, incurring additional costs for legal representation, court fees, etc., leading to a high likelihood that some will give up at the outset.

The publication of this draft law has caused negative reactions in the public and media due to contentious provisions that limit the right to appeal, prescribe misdemeanor provisions that will not have practical effects, ignore existing administrative procedure procedures, and potentially prevent effective oversight of public authorities’ actions.

Precisely because of the significance and potential impact of the law on citizens, journalists, and activists, it is necessary for the adoption process to be open, inclusive, and transparent, allowing all interested parties to present their proposals and suggestions.

TI BiH believes that by submitting the law for public discussion, the Brčko District authorities of BiH would send an important message that they respect the principles of democratic decision-making and uphold citizens’ rights to participate in decision-making and shaping public policies.

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TI BiH on the new Freedom of Information Law of Brčko District: It is unacceptable to deny citizens the right to appeal.

Press releases ● 21 May 2025

Banja Luka, 21. May 2025: Transparency International in Bosnia and Herzegovina (TI BiH) warns the authorities of Brčko District that the draft of the new law regulating the area of access to information contains numerous deficiencies that are contrary to international standards and deny citizens the right to appeal, thereby imposing additional costs on them. TI BiH has submitted comments to the Brčko District Assembly on the draft of the new Freedom of Information Law, which will be discussed at today’s session, with the most contentious issue being that there is no provision for appealing the decision of the authority from which information of public importance is requested.

In practice, this will create additional room for authorities to hide key information about their work, public spending, and other information of public interest from the public, and will force citizens, media, and civil society to initiate expensive legal proceedings. This will require additional costs for legal representation, court fees for lawsuits and judgments, and it is expected that a large number of them will give up at the outset.

Denying the right to appeal is unacceptable because one of the basic principles of administrative procedure is the “principle of two-tiered decision-making,” and this right is also guaranteed by the Constitution of BiH, which incorporates the European Convention on Human Rights and Freedoms. Likewise, certain norms are contrary to international standards, including the provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights and Freedoms, as well as the Council of Europe Convention on Access to Official Documents (Tromsø Convention).

It is also problematic that the misdemeanor provisions are designed so that responsible persons are punished only if they do not comply with the order of the supervisory authority, while there is a complete lack of sanctions if they act unlawfully towards applicants. Until recently, Brčko District applied the BiH law regulating this area, but with the adoption of the new law at the state level as part of the so-called “European laws,” there was a need to regulate this issue at the District level. However, the proposed draft is not aligned with European standards or with laws at other levels.

Therefore, TI BiH appeals to the deputies to return the draft for revision in the parliamentary procedure because the new solution should improve the situation in this area, not worsen it further.

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TI BiH: The proposed Law on Financing Political Organizations of RS undermines the institutional order and legalizes extortion and corruption.

Press releases ● 20 May 2025

Banja Luka, 20. May 2025: The Law on Financing Political Organizations, which the parliamentary majority in the Republic of Srpska has submitted for urgent procedure, will create a parallel system and open up significant space for corruption. This will allow public money to be siphoned into party coffers through privileged private companies, while on the other hand, it will severely impact all parties that do not have control over public resources.

This undermines the institutional order and creates legal uncertainty, as it introduces the jurisdiction of the Republican Election Commission, even though the control of financing is prescribed by the Election Law and the Law on Financing Political Parties of BiH and is under the jurisdiction of the Central Election Commission of BiH.

The proposed Law abolishes budget financing for all parties in response to the OHR’s decision to suspend budget payments to SNSD and United Srpska, as its adoption nullifies the Law on Financing Political Parties from the budgets of the Republic, city, and municipality. The effects of this will be felt most by parties not in power, which will lose the largest portion of their income in this way, and the primary intention is to enable ruling parties to compensate for these revenues through donations from privileged private companies.

This solution allows them to donate up to 100,000 KM to the party, which directly contradicts the state law regulating this area. Additionally, higher limits are set on donations from party members and individuals, which is in complete opposition to the state law.

Furthermore, unlike the current BiH Law, no bans are foreseen on party donations from companies doing business with the state, which practically means the legalization of corruption and a form of extortion.

How this looks in practice is well known to the public from the “corona contracts” affair, where one of the accused in this case admitted in court that he allegedly took 250,000 KM of public money obtained through a tender to United Srpska. TI BiH has repeatedly warned about such occurrences because the reported election campaign expenses are much lower than the actual ones, and just for the last elections the parties reported at least 2.6 million KM lower expenses than TI BiH’s estimate.

From all this, it is clear that the ultimate goal of this proposal is to enable additional sources of funding for parties that have already been abusing public funds, and whose budget financing has now been abolished. What remains unclear is how the proposed law would even be enforceable, given that all issues of revenue, expenses, reporting, oversight, and auditing of parties are already regulated at the BiH level. Therefore, TI BiH calls on deputies to reject this solution because, apart from undermining the institutional order, it also introduces complete chaos in the area of political party financing.

Press rls_20.05.2025.

BH Judiciary Increasingly Closed to the Public: Courts and Prosecutor’s Offices Selectively Share Information, Ignore Citizens and Media

Press releases ● 23 April 2025

Banja Luka, April 23, 2025 – The Cantonal Court in Zenica, the Prosecutor’s Office of the Brčko District of BiH, the Municipal Court in Tuzla, and the Supreme Court of Republika Srpska are among the highest-rated judicial institutions in BiH according to the Judiciary Transparency Index. In contrast, the lowest-rated institutions show a worrying unwillingness to seriously address corruption.

The highest transparency index scores were recorded by the Cantonal Court in Zenica (87), the Prosecutor’s Office of the Brčko District of BiH (85), and the Municipal Court in Tuzla (82). Also ranking in the top five are the Zenica-Doboj Canton Prosecutor’s Office (81) and the Supreme Court of Republika Srpska (80). On the other hand, the lowest-rated institutions include the Municipal Courts in Kalesija and Sarajevo and the Basic Court in Doboj (30), the Basic Court in Zvornik (29), and the Municipal Court in Srebrenik (26), marking them as the least open judicial institutions in BiH (full results at the end of the release).

The Judiciary Transparency Index, which measures the level of proactive, reactive, and media transparency, shows that one-third of all 94 courts and prosecutor’s offices at all levels in BiH do not respond to media inquiries about their cases. Additionally, 50% of prosecutor’s offices ignored media requests regarding the content of appeals, while 62% of courts refused to provide or completely ignored inquiries about the verdicts they issued.

Media requests for audiovisual materials and access to indictments are most frequently rejected. This obstructive attitude further hampers public oversight of the judiciary.

The index evaluates the availability of information on websites, responses to access to information requests, and cooperation with the media. Each of the three components carries a specific number of points (52, 30, and 18), which together form a total score on a 0–100 scale.

Overall, the analysis shows slight improvement compared to 2022 – more than half of all access to information requests were resolved within legal deadlines with complete responses, and the number of ignored requests dropped from 16% to 12.8%. However, the growing number of rejected requests is concerning, as it may signal increasingly closed institutions.

A further concern is the unequal treatment of requesters – TI BiH received full responses within legal deadlines in over 70% of cases, while citizens received the same information in only 35% of cases. A third of citizens’ requests go unanswered, and every tenth is rejected, indicating systemic discrimination and denial of the public’s right to information.

Proactive transparency has further declined – the number of courts publishing annual plans fell from 61 to only 23, while most courts and prosecutor’s offices still do not publish their budgets online. Although significant progress has been made in regularly publishing hearing schedules (71 of 74 courts), there is still a serious lack of access to court decisions – decisions from 34 courts remain unavailable to the public.

The availability of information on confirmed indictments has significantly improved – the number of prosecutor’s offices publishing full indictments rose from 3 in 2022 to 11 last year. However, six prosecutor’s offices in BiH did not publish information on proposed custody measures in 2024, compared to only one in 2022.

Judicial transparency is crucial for institutional accountability, public trust, and the fight against corruption. However, the analysis by TI BiH and BIRN BiH shows that courts and prosecutor’s offices in BiH still fall short of basic openness standards. Research points to arbitrary application of freedom of information laws, frequent delays, incomplete responses, and violations of legal procedures. These results reflect a broader trend of restricting access to information, a trend TI BiH had already highlighted in 2023 when criticizing a draft law that diminishes existing rights and fails to align with international standards.

TI BiH therefore reminds all institutional representatives, especially in the judiciary, of the importance of the right to freedom of access to information and the significance of proactive transparency as key mechanisms for ensuring citizens’ rights and improving access to justice, thereby strengthening accountability and integrity in the public sector – essential conditions for effective anti-corruption efforts.

Press rls_23_4_2025

Transparentnost pravosuđa (infografike)

Increased Number of Corruption Reports – Citizens Increasingly Seeking Legal Assistance

Press releases ● 31 March 2025

Banja Luka, March 31, 2025 – In 2024, the Legal Aid Centre of Transparency International in Bosnia and Herzegovina (TI BiH) handled 391 new cases based on citizen reports, marking an 8.1% increase compared to the previous year. The growing number of cases and citizen reports points to the increasing frequency of corruption, confirmed by the findings of the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), which ranks BiH as the second most corrupt country in Europe, but also reflects rising public trust in the effectiveness of legal aid provided by TI BiH.

TI BiH responded to 1,694 calls through the toll-free hotline 0800 55555, and 377 cases were initiated based on citizen reports, while 14 were initiated by the Centre. As in previous years, the majority of reports concerned the public administration sector (166), followed by the judiciary (36), education (33), and healthcare and conflict of interest (26 each).

The Centre’s work also led to concrete results in actions taken by judicial institutions. The Federal Prosecutor’s Office of FBiH upheld two complaints filed by TI BiH, overturning previous decisions not to conduct investigations in the case of a rigged recruitment at the Oriental Institute of the University of Sarajevo and the decision of the Cantonal Prosecutor’s Office of SBK not to investigate unpaid concession fees worth over BAM 1.7 million.

A significant part of the Centre’s work focused on protecting the right to access information, with 32 administrative disputes launched due to violations of the Freedom of Access to Information Act—marking the highest number in the past four years and confirming previous TI BiH findings that public bodies show an unsatisfactory level of transparency and protection of the public interest.

Two cases relate to the denial of information by the BiH Prosecutor’s Office concerning persons sanctioned by OFAC and corruption-related investigations. TI BiH won 16 cases launched in previous years, granting citizens and journalists access to information that had previously been withheld.

Based on TI BiH’s complaints, the BiH Ombudsman Institution issued four recommendations, while three criminal complaints for corruption-related offences were submitted to the competent prosecutors. Additionally, the Centre filed four appeals to the Constitutional Court of BiH, and one appeal from the previous year was upheld, confirming the violation of the right to a trial within a reasonable time.

Institutional responses and court decisions in cases initiated by TI BiH confirm the need for continued reform in appointment practices and procedures within public institutions. Notably, the RS Commission for the Prevention of Conflict of Interest determined that a municipal councillor and acting assistant minister in the RS Government was in a conflict of interest, while a ruling by the District Court in Banja Luka confirmed that acting officials are subject to the same obligations as permanent officeholders.

Furthermore, the RS Appeals Commission annulled the decision to dismiss the case against an advisor to the RS president over potential incompatibility of functions, creating space for further proceedings in this case.

TI BiH submitted three complaints to the Central Election Commission concerning the holding of incompatible functions and violations of the BiH Election Law. In total, 26 cases related to conflict of interest were recorded in 2024, indicating that institutions remain insufficiently committed to addressing corruption risks in this area.

The Legal Aid Centre of Transparency International in BiH remained a key actor in the fight against corruption in 2024, providing tangible legal protection to citizens while also initiating systemic changes that contribute to greater institutional accountability and transparency.

Number of Corruption Indictments Lowest in the Past Four Years: Ensure Judicial Independence and Prevent Further Pressure

News ● 19 March 2025

Sarajevo, March 18, 2025 – The judiciary in Bosnia and Herzegovina continues to yield to corruption – sentences are dominated by suspended penalties, investigations are being dropped, acquittals are becoming more frequent, and the number of convictions for high-level corruption has decreased compared to the previous year. In 2024, some prosecutor’s offices did not issue a single indictment for high-level corruption crimes, and the lenient penal policy combined with a declining number of indictments confirms the institutions’ alarming unwillingness to seriously tackle corruption.

Of the 194 corruption convictions, nearly half (46%) resulted in suspended sentences, and in 2024 there were 130 final convictions, almost 8% fewer than in 2023. Meanwhile, courts in Bosnia and Herzegovina issued 20% more acquittals in 2024 compared to the previous year (26 vs. 31), despite BiH being ranked the second most corrupt country in Europe and scoring its worst result since 2012 in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) by Transparency International.

One of the key factors in the widespread presence of corruption is the penal policy, which not only lacks severity but shows a trend toward further leniency. The share of fines in final judgments increased from 4.7% to 8.4%, while corruption offences are still most commonly sanctioned with suspended sentences, which accounted for 51.5% of final convictions in 2024.

Data published by TI BiH on the Interactive Map of Corruption Prosecution show that BiH prosecutors have also made little progress. In 2024, they issued 699 decisions not to conduct investigations – 6.2% more than the previous year – while the number of newly opened corruption investigations decreased. Of 262 resolved investigations, 98 were terminated, meaning that one in three corruption investigations ended with dismissal. The number of initiated investigations for high-level corruption dropped by 15%, and the number of indictments filed for corruption offences reached a four-year low.

Notably, the Cantonal Prosecutor’s Offices in Posavina Canton, Canton 10, West Herzegovina Canton, Goražde Canton, and the Brčko District Prosecutor’s Office issued no indictments for high-level corruption in 2024. This highlights the urgent need to establish operational conditions for the Special Department of the Federal Prosecutor’s Office to combat corruption, organized crime, and inter-cantonal crime.

TI BiH, together with the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN BiH), conducted a study on the transparency of judicial institutions. The findings show that courts and prosecutors responded within legal deadlines to only 40% of freedom of information (FOI) requests submitted by citizens. One-third of citizen requests (35%) were either ignored or rejected. In contrast, TI BiH received complete responses in 72.3% of cases, suggesting that institutions discriminate based on who is submitting the request, assuming citizens lack the means or motivation to pursue appeals and enforce their legal rights.

Some improvements were observed: the number of prosecutor’s offices publishing full indictments rose from 3 in 2022 to 11 in 2023. However, given that 45% of prosecutor’s offices still do not publish indictments and that citizens’ FOI requests are not treated equally, there remains significant room to improve judicial transparency.

The event also served as an opportunity to discuss the adoption of the new Law on the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC), with an emphasis on ensuring judicial independence from the executive. TI BiH reiterated its earlier proposals for clear criteria for selecting HJPC members, prioritizing qualifications over ethnic background, preventing conflicts of interest through stricter provisions and sanctions, and establishing effective asset verification mechanisms, including mandatory disclosure of close relatives’ assets.

TI BiH has also long advocated for defining clear criteria for appointing commission members who evaluate and test candidates for judicial positions, in order to prevent subjective influence and manipulation. The Venice Commission, in its Opinion on the draft HJPC law, endorsed many of TI BiH’s recommendations, stressing that competence should take precedence over ethnicity and that objective, measurable criteria should guide the selection of candidates for key judicial positions.

Who Pays for the Election Campaign? Parties Concealed BAM 2.6 Million in Reports, Election Law Amendments Failed to Prevent Misuse of Resources

Press releases ● 17 March 2025

Sarajevo, March 17, 2025 – Political parties concealed at least BAM 2.6 million in campaign expenses in their post-election financial reports, while the amendments to the Election Law imposed by the OHR failed to prevent the misuse of public resources, according to a Transparency International in BiH report on the monitoring of the Local Elections, presented today in Sarajevo.

The legal amendments were intended to regulate party financing and prevent the abuse of institutional resources, public funds, and official functions for campaign purposes. However, TI BiH’s data shows that all levels of government distributed approximately BAM 60 million in one-off payments to pensioners and other social groups before the elections. Although the law clearly prohibits indirect vote-buying through public funds, these provisions were rendered ineffective in practice due to the way the Central Election Commission (CEC) applied them.

The CEC received over 200 reports of resource misuse from various sources, yet sanctions were issued in only 6% of cases, mostly related to the misuse of communication tools on social media.

In terms of campaign spending, TI BiH’s monitoring of pre-election rallies and advertising via billboards, media, and social networks estimated that parties spent over BAM 12.3 million. However, in their official post-election reports, all parties collectively reported only BAM 9.7 million in campaign expenditures. This is BAM 2.6 million less than TI BiH’s calculation based solely on four campaign segments, with the SNSD alone concealing approximately BAM 1 million.

During a panel discussion held at Europe House in Sarajevo, representatives of political parties, the Central Election Commission, and civil society emphasized the need to further improve election legislation and called on Members of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH to adopt the necessary technical amendments to the Election Law.

The goal should be to introduce new technologies and solutions to prevent electoral result manipulation, vote-trading in polling station committees, and the misuse of public resources. Existing legal provisions restricting the use of public resources need to be strengthened, and limitations on public spending during the pre-election period must be established.

It is also essential to improve transparency in campaign financing, as the current legal framework enables political parties to finance a significant part of their campaigns through prohibited sources, namely privileged private companies that do business with the public sector.