Press releases

New attempts of RS Government to weaken control over their expenses

Press releases ● 19 October 2011

Banja Luka, October 19, 2011 – Transparency International Bosnia and Herzegovina (TI BiH) disapproves new attempts of Republic of Srpska Government to challenge the role and work of the Supreme Audit Office for the Public Sector Auditing of RS.

The Government’s proposal to revise the Audit Service, after following the Auditor’s report on the budget’s fulfillment that indicates a much larger deficit than the Government has presented, represents a clear attempt to exert pressure on the Supreme Audit Office, avoiding any responsibility of the RS Government for expenditure of the budgetary resources.

On the other hand, placing the Audit Service under Government’s scrutiny represents a direct attack on the independence of this institution and such a step would reduce the role of the audit, particularly bearing in mind that its findings have not been respected nor the recommendations of this institution have been applied yet.

TI BiH urges the executive power once again to stop interfering with the institutional work that should play an oversight role, and to allow at least a minimal level of independence and the smooth running of these institutions in order to make the Government of Republic of Srpska accountable for its actions.

Step backward in fight against corruption

Press releases ● 13 October 2011

Media in BiH gives superficial and sensationalist reports on corruption

Press releases ● 30 September 2011

Citizens have to wait more than a month for a response from public institutions

Press releases ● 28 September 2011

Roundtable in the occasion of the International Right to Know Day

Press releases ● 27 September 2011

Street campaign on the occasion of the International Right to Know Day

Press releases ● 27 September 2011

Roundtable in the occasion of the International Right to Know Day

Announcements ● 27 September 2011

Sarajevo, September 27, 2011. –Transparency International BiH is organizing the round table with the aim to mark September 28, the International Right to Know Day. This significant day provides an opportunity for an open discussion about the current state of respecting the right to free access to information, as a fundamental human right and a basic assumption of strengthening the accountability of public officials.

Regarding this, the main objective of the roundtable is to provide a review of the current state of respecting the rights to free access to information, the capacity of institutions for the implementation of the Freedom of access to information act as well as on the current initiatives for improving and harmonizing the legal framework in this area. During the round table, a survey of Transparency International BiH on the implementation of the Freedom of access to information act in BiH will also be presented.

The round table will be held on Wednesday, September 28, 2011. at Hotel Europe in Sarajevo, beginning at 11:00 and will be open for media representatives. To see the agenda of the round table, click here.

After Tuzla and Zenica, TI BiH establishes cooperation with the University of Sarajevo

Press releases ● 21 September 2011

TI BiH and the University of Tuzla sign the Memorandum of Cooperation

Press releases ● 19 September 2011

Civil Service Agency of BiH has to react to irregular competitions

Press releases ● 17 September 2011

TI BiH and Zenica University sign the Memorandum of Cooperation

Press releases ● 02 September 2011

TI BiH appeals to the Parliament not to miss an opportunity to improve the law

Press releases ● 01 September 2011

The administration Agency for the Prevention of Corruption, appointed by political lines

Press releases ● 15 July 2011

Sarajevo, July 15, 2011. – The House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH, at the last meeting appointed the candidates for the Director of the Agency for the Prevention and Combat against corruption and his deputies by political lines, while there was no discussion about the ones proposed by the Commission for the selection and monitoring work of the Agency.

Namely, the Commission has submitted a list of 15 candidates and put forward three candidates with the highest score of votes – Ramiz Huremagic, Milan Krulja and Blanka Benkovic. However, members of the Parliament were not even asked about this proposal, but according to the agreement among political parties, they appointed Sead Liska for the Director and Dragan Slipac and Sreto Pekic for his deputies. It is necessary to mention that Sead Liska was only the third in the ranking, which was compiled by the Commission, Dragan Slipac was the sixth while Sreto Pekic was the last on the list of 15 candidates.

Transparency International of Bosnia and Herzegovina (TI BiH) condemns such act of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH because it completely stultifies the whole procedure which was regulated in terms of election of the administration Agency, and the work of the Commission for the selection and monitoring of the Agency was thus ignored and made completely unnecessary.

It is interesting that the election of directors of the Agency waited more than a year and then in one day political parties decided on who would be nominated, which implies that delay was completely unnecessary, and the current work of the Commission for the election represented a waste of resources.

Such approach to the appointment of the administration of the most important anti – corruption body in the country calls into question its independence in the future work and once again shows that all institutions are trying to put themselves under the control of parties, even those that should fight against such a control.

The House of Representatives has proved, also in this case, that procedures during the appointment of personnel, and references and the ability of candidates don’t have any importance when political influence is involved, which gives a negative example to BiH citizens and undermines confidence in institutions.

TI BiH calls on the competent institutions to examine the authenticity and legitimacy of this kind of election of the administration Agency and to prevent further attempts at controlling and politicizing the most important institutions in BiH.

Management of the Agency for Prevention of Corruption appointed by political line

Press releases ● 15 July 2011

A new attempt of a complete politicization of public administration

Press releases ● 14 July 2011

Sarajevo, July 14, 2011. — The new draft on the amendment to the Law on the Civil Service in the FBiH, which was made by a working group of the FBiH Government, represents inexplicable and unacceptable step, which is contrary to the principles of public administration reform and positive legal practice.

With this draft Law, the Government of the FBiH has continued the practice from the previous mandate, which was endeavored, with similar suggestions, to downgrade the reform of public administration and stultify the existence of the Act itself. By this proposed amendment to the Law on the Civil Service, there is a re-introduction of the principle of political appointments to positions that have had the civil service status up to now, as it is the case with the assistant ministers, which in this case could be dismissed at any time by the ministers themselves. With such a solution, some departments would virtually be under complete and unrestricted control of ministers and political parties, which they belong to.

Of particular concern are indications that this harmful solution is planning to be sent in the procedure in a matter of urgency, which means that the possibility of public hearings and recommendations would be eliminated again by the civil society and the public.

TI BiH urges the Government of the FBiH to reconsider the proposed solutions once again and to adopt the same ones toward the basic goals of public administration reform in BiH, and these are the strengthening of its independence, professionalism and efficiency.

A new attempt to completely politicize public administration

Press releases ● 14 July 2011