PRESS RELEASES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Regional conference on the role of media and civil society in the Western Balkans

Press releases ● 18 November 2011

Sarajevo, November 18, 2011 — Transparency International Bosnia and Herzegovina (TI BiH), in cooperation with Civil Rights Defenders, organizes a two-day regional conference “Role of civil society, citizens and media in the Western Balkans: challenges as opportunities.”

Twenty years after the events in Eastern Europe had happened, which have irretrievably  changed the whole Europe, was a period in which civil society, citizen activism and the media were trying to take back the position they originally possessed in developed democracies. Their development path in the Western Balkans was far more difficult since it was led by eventful years of dramatic armed conflicts, crimes of inter-ethnic intolerance and consolidation of countries with organized crime.

The contribution of civil society organizations, effective citizen engagement and a free media to the normalization of countries in the Western Balkans has been invaluable, often requiring a great personal courage and sacrifice. Although the situation in the countries of Western Balkans has changed over past twenty years, there is still a constant necessity for a strong civil society and a free media. Their contribution will essentially determine further progress and reforms in the Western Balkans countries, with the objective of preventing corruption and organized crime, and human rights protection, reconciliation and strengthening the regional cooperation

Numerous obstacles and threats to their activities are still very much present – from political pressures and threats to an open attack to physical integrity of journalists and activists. How to ensure the independence of civil society organizations, citizens and media, their influence on those who take decisions while simultaneously ensuring a safe environment in which they operate, as well as using capacities offered by new technologies, are the questions to which prominent journalists, activists and NGO representatives from the countries of Western Balkans will try to respond..

The conference will include 4 panels, i.e. key themes:

• “Accountable and transparent government: Role of civil society and citizens”
• „Media in the Western Balkans: Between conditional discharge and unconditional responsibility”
• „Who protects the protector ( of human rights and freedom, freedom of the media, public interest) “
• „Online activism – future has begun”

The conference will take place on November 22 and 23, 2011. in the hotel “Europa” in Sarajevo and the event will be open for media representatives. Please find enclosed the agenda of the conference.

Back to a time of political control over the police

Press releases ● 15 November 2011

Banja Luka, November 15, 2011 – Transparency International Bosnia and Herzegovina (TI BiH) strongly condemns the decision of the Government of the Canton Sarajevo to adopt amendments to the Law on Internal Affairs, according to which the existence of the Independent Commission for police commissioner elections is to be abolished, and that the Parliamentary Committee, composed of representatives of political parties will be in charge of police commissioner elections.

TI BiH believes that such law calls into question the independence of police commissioner elections and its work, allowing partisanship in elections, what is particularly dangerous for police work and its efficiency that should have full independence and autonomy in law enforcement.

On the other part, the adoption process itself was extremely non-transparent, according to which interested political actors and the police to which the Law applies were not involved in a public hearing.  It should be noted that the Government of the Canton Sarajevo turned a deaf ear to appeals of the head of the EU Delegation in BiH, Peter Sorensen, and the High Representative in BiH, Valentin Inzko, and that the amendments to the Law are inconsistent with democratic principles and their pleadings to wait for the European Commission’s opinion on the harmonization with European practices and Venice Commission’s analysis.   The Government of the Canton Sarajevo has adopted the amendments to the Law on Internal Affairs without a detailed analysis and a public hearing under the emergency procedure, and it has also announced amendments to the Law at the level of  FBiH.

TI BiH notes that such practice brings BiH back at a time of political control over the police and may lead to the pernicious instrumentality of the police for political purposes.  At the same time, TI BiH urges competent authorities to prevent the introduction of such amendments to the Law of the FBiH , as has already been announced, since it would mean a complete return to the dark history when the police were accountable to the party but not citizenry, and was obliged to fulfill the commandments of the party leaders.

Lack of will to prevent conflicts of interest in BiH

Press releases ● 10 November 2011

Banja Luka, November 10, 2011. — Transparency International Bosnia and Herzegovina (TI BiH) issued a report on monitoring the improvement of the legal framework and the implementation of the Law on conflict of interest in Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2011, which was carried out within the monitoring of BiH’s progress in the implementation of anti-corruption reforms. Monitoring results primarily indicate the need for improvement and harmonization of laws that are treating the institute of conflict of interest at different administrative levels in BiH, what has been recognized by national institutions and by relevant international organizations dealing with this issue.

After unsuccessful attempts to amend the Law on conflict of interest BiH during 2010. and delays in formation of the inter-working group for law amendments, memebers of the group were finally appointed in October 2011. Civil society has also been summoned to propose possible law amendments, which is the only positive innovation in the process of improving the legal framework, hoping that recommendations of the institutions dealing with the analysis of the Law on conflict of interest will be observed this time.

However, there is still a concern about the lack of political will to harmonize entity laws on conflict of ineterst with the Law at BiH level. There are numerous discrapencies among these laws that are evident in relation to persons to whom these laws apply, as well as sanctions for identified cases of conflicts of interest. Particularly problematic is the Law on prevention of conflict of Interest in governmental institutions of Republic of Srpska (RS). TI BiH has been directing attention to it since its adoption in 2008, because it legalises a wide range of conflicts of interest, as seen through a prism of positive legislation, and creates problems for the Commission for the resolution of conflicts of interest in its implementation. The Commission itself has issued an initiative for the Law amendments to the National Assembly of RS. Although Republic of Srpska Government has rendered a decision to entrust the Ministry of Administration and Local Self-governance with the task to access the Law amendments in 2011, draft amending law still hasn’t been referred to the parliamentary procedure .

In the latest Progress report on BiH, the European Commission has emphasised that the legal framework is neither harmonized nor sufficiently restrictive in terms of punishing the conflicts of interest, and its implementation is still inadequate. Insufficient level of law enforcement is caused by the lack of capacity of the Central Election Commission BiH and Republic of Srpska Commission, and by the poltization of these institutions and pressures on them made by government authorities. Of the total number of sanctions pronounced by the Central Election Commission, only 2 i.e. 6% of the sanctions refer to officials who discharge their duty at the state level, and none of the sanctions is relating to officials at the entity level, which clearly approves that the vast majority of officials at lower levels are being sanctioned, while those at state and entity levels are practically intangible. On the other hand, the Commission at the level of Republic of Srpska pronounced only six sanctions during 2010, what represents an irrelevant number for the analysis of their structure.

This is why it’s necessary to seize the chance for improving the Law on conflict of interest BiH, and then to harmonize the entity solutions with the Law at the state level. The most important recommenadtions for law improvement are as follows:

1. To tighten sanctions so that conflicts of interest couldn’t be effective in relation to the sanctions for breaking the law.
2. Preventive control over assets declarations of officials and statutory sanctions for their inaccuracy.
3. It is necessary to set the period for the initiation of proceedings and decision making on conflicts of interest with the aim of making commissions’ work more effective.

TI BiH once again appeals to legislators to consider current barriers when preventing conflicts of interest, and to assume responsibility and introduce necessary changes in the legal framework, so as not to let another chance to be lost for its improvement due to the lack of will and agreements of those to whom laws on conflict of interest apply.

Bosnia and Herzegovina a police state?

Press releases ● 27 October 2011

Banja Luka, October 27, 2011 – Transparency International Bosnia and Herzegovina (TI BiH) considers the decree of the Minister of Internal Affairs of Sarajevo canton Mehmed Budimlic to launch the criminal investigation against the magazine “Slobodna Bosna” as entirely unacceptable and unlawful.

TI BiH appeals to the Ministry to give the explanation on which legal frameworks the launching of such investigation against the media is based on, particularly bearing in mind that the decree was sent after “Slobodna Bosna” had published the article about the minister himself

This kind of pressure on the media represents a return to the totalitarian regime and absolutely violates freedom of speech and freedom of expression. TI BiH also reminds us that there are legal means of protection against defamation, if the minister’s prestige has been damaged by the article in “Slobodna Bosna”, which doesn’t include the launching of criminal investigation against the media and journalists.

It is obvious that this case deals with illegal attempts of confrontations with the media and with the crudest violation of human rights and freedoms. Therefore, TI BiH invites the minister Budimlic to give in his resignation at once unless he cannot prove the legality of such proceedings, because the use of investigative bodies for personal confrontations seems inappropriate for a Minister of Internal Affairs who grossly violates laws instead of enforcing it.

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