Only 2,4% of Anti-Corruption Measures have been Fulfiled

Banja Luka, 8th September 2012.– Transparency International Bosnia and Herzegovina has published the forth periodic report on the monitoring of implementation of Anti-Corruption Strategy for BiH (2009-2014). Monitoring results show that after almoust three years from the Strategy adoption, out of the total  number of predicted measures (81), only 2 were fully implemented, 32  partly implemented, while 47 measures (nearly 60%) were not implemented at all.

The dynamic of the Strategy implementation, and the fact that the funds for the Agency for Prevention of Corruption and coordination of the fight against corruption were provided with a delay  of two years, show there was no true will for its implementation that since the adoption of the Strategy  . However, although the founds have been finally approved by the budget of BiH institutions for 2012, planned number of employees has been reduced from 45 to 29, and its staff training has not started yet. On the one hand, BiH has been burdened by its heavy civil service administration , which is one of the reasons of high corruption level, while on the other hand it skimps on human resource for the most important anti-corruption body.

Hindering the work of the Agency has blocked implementation of other activities envisaged by the Strategy, and other institutions responsible for implementation of the Strategy, including the Council of Ministers, showed no initiative in the implementation of the measures, such as the modernization of public administration, protection of whistleblowers, staff training, improving procedures of  confiscation of illegally acquired assets, improving investigation for more efficient prosecution of corruption, etc.

Although some institutions have adopted their own anti-corruption plans, as it is envisioned by the Strategy, it was done on their own initiative, not under strategic guidance of the Agency, which clearly describes the attitude and approach to implementation of this important document.

Once they have finally fulfilled conditions for the commencement of the work of the Agency for the Fight against Corruption, the following essential steps will be to ensuring its integrity and independence, and then taking immediate and decisive actions on the implementation of the Strategy. Therefore, TI BiH appeals to all BiH institutions responsible for the implementation of the Strategy, to ensure smooth operation of the Agency, in particular to the Council of ministers whose indolence resulted in losing two years of work and questioned the overall implementation of the Strategy.