The largest number of reports of corruption to the state administration and judiciary, the number of reports of whistleblowers decreased

Transparency International in BiH (TI BiH) handled 173 corruption cases through the Center for Legal Aid in the Fight against Corruption, and citizens sent more than a thousand calls to the toll-free corruption hotline 0800 55555.

Banja Luka, 27. February 2020 – Transparency International in BiH (TI BiH) acted in 173 corruption cases through the Center for Legal Aid in the Fight against Corruption, and citizens sent more than a thousand calls to the free line for reporting corruption 0800 55555. The largest number of corruption reports was in two sectors: public administration and the judiciary (55%). Applicants are most often persons who are victims or witnesses (over 80% of them), and the number of reports submitted by the so-called whistleblowers. This indicates that citizens still do not trust the existing legal mechanisms for the protection of persons who report corruption from their immediate work environment.

It is of particular concern that an increasing number of complaints relate to flagrant violations of fundamental human rights and freedoms, such as the right to freedom of movement. The case of the activists of the group “Justice for David” (PZD) stands out, where suspicions of corruption in the highest police structures appear. TI BiH assisted PZD activists in drafting requests for protection of constitutionally guaranteed rights against the director of police as a leading person who managed the activities of police officers who defended the movement around the central temple in Banja Luka.

In their reports, citizens pointed out suspicions of non-transparent spending of money, inefficient work of the administration, lengthy court proceedings, unprofessional behavior of judges and prosecutors, but also the conflict of interest of executive officials and elected representatives. TI BiH is in 2019. received as many as 19 administrative disputes in the procedures for exercising the right to access information. The most common reasons for conducting these disputes are the refusal of institutions to apply the Law on Freedom of Access to Information at all, the silence of the administration, illegal invocation of personal data protection, etc. These disputes are important because TI BiH learns about corruption in a large number of cases based on information held by public authorities.

TI BiH is in 2019. filed as many as 7 criminal charges against officials and responsible persons on suspicion of having committed corruption offenses. The reports mostly referred to abuse of position or authority, and some referred to public companies that did not conduct public procurement procedures (Sarajevoputevi dd), or conducted them illegally (Gacko Mine and Thermal Power Plant, Kreka Mines). One report also referred to a conflict of interest that was not resolved by the director of JKP VITKOM doo Vitez, who was also a municipal councilor at the time of her appointment.

According to the reports of TI BiH, two competitions in which illegalities were determined were annulled, and a case of a fake diploma was discovered in the RS Tax Administration (RS Police Administration). The Municipality of Kalinovik and the Oriental Institute had to cancel public competitions in which non-transparent practices or practices of favoring pre-determined candidates were noticed, while the RS Police Department is taking measures to dismiss the worker, and only after the renewed interest of TI BiH.

Press rls – 27.02.2020.