In the years of the pandemic, the most reports of corruption are related to the state administration, judiciary and health

During the past year, the largest number of corruption reports received at the Transparency International Legal Aid Center in BiH (TI BiH) concerned the public administration, justice and health sectors.

Banja Luka, March 11, 2021 – During the last year, the largest number of corruption reports that arrived at the address of the Center for Legal Aid Transparency International in BiH (TI BiH) related to the sectors of state administration, justice and health. 1,985 calls from citizens were received on the free line for reporting corruption, and out of a total of 240 corruption cases in which TI BiH acted, 100 were related to the state administration. Citizens most often pointed out irregularities in employment procedures, inaction of inspection bodies, but also violations of regulations on personal data protection.

A large part of the complaints to the justice sector relate to the length of court proceedings, and it is noticeable that a large number of citizens continue to complain about the inappropriate behavior of judicial officials. Thus, for example, TI BiH filed disciplinary complaints against judges of the District Court in Banja Luka for omissions in the case of activists of the group “Justice for David” who initiated proceedings to protect constitutionally guaranteed rights due to police repression. The urgent case lasted more than six months, and the judges did not allow the party access to the case after making a decision. Also, the Chief Prosecutor of the Cantonal Prosecutor’s Office of Tuzla Canton was publicly warned after the complaint of TI BiH because he rented business premises to lawyers.

In the year of the outbreak of the pandemic and the unprecedented health crisis, the number of reports to the health sector increased, and a good part of them referred to the disputed procurement of medical equipment, as well as suspicions of unfair employment practices in health institutions.

There were also a large number of reports in the field of education, especially from parents who suspected the party’s employment of teaching staff. It is important to point out that after the report of TI BIH against Srdjan Amidzic and Boris Jerinic, the Ombudsman for Children of RS reacted to the abuse of children for political promotion. -educational institutions. Also, after the actions of TI BIH, the Ombudsman for Human Rights of BIH ordered the Government of RS to enable private kindergartens from Banja Luka to use the right to financial aid because they were discriminated against due to the claim of the city administration that they were not banned.

TI BiH is in 2020. He sued 19 institutions for failing to provide the information required under the Freedom of Access to Information Act, and won as many as 16 administrative disputes over lawsuits from previous years. TI BiH won a lawsuit against the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH before the Court of BiH because they refused to provide information on the number of resigned cases in 2018. and the first half of 2019. . The Prosecutor’s Office of BiH first claimed that it did not have this information, but the Court of BiH concluded in the verdict that it is indisputable that they have it and that such information must be given to an organization whose mandate is to fight corruption and which has the role of “social guardian”. Presignations are a significant corruption risk because they allow chief prosecutors to appoint eligible prosecutors in important cases.

Of particular concern is the increasing number of citizens’ applications related to construction and urbanism, where owners of plots bordering on illegally constructed buildings often have long-term legal struggles against illegal construction. The pattern is similar in all cases, and usually first the urban and construction inspectors would refuse to go to the field immediately upon the application of interested citizens, and then in some cases they would not be allowed to participate in the procedure itself.

TI BIH since 2003 provides legal assistance to citizens who are fighting corruption, and to date over 20,000 citizens have approached TI BIH, mainly through the recognizable number 0800 55-555 .

Press rls_11_3_2021 – In the year of the pandemic, most reports of corruption for public administration, judiciary and health