The EU supports the further harmonisation of the anti-corruption legal framework in BiH and calls for the adoption of the BiH anti-corruption strategy and action plan for the period 2020-2024
The recognized international anti-corruption standards have been largely transposed into legislation at all administrative levels in BiH. However, the need for further harmonization is still expressed, not only through the adoption of these standards, but also their adaptation to the complex domestic context. This is one of the conclusions of the Analysis of the anti-corruption regulatory framework in BiH that was presented at the online-conference organised on Friday 13 November within the EU funded project "Institutional Support to Anti-Corruption in BiH - IPAK".
The Head of Operations Section for Justice, Home Affairs and Public Administration Reform at the EU Delegation to BiH, Nicolas Bizel underscored the EU’s continuous support to BiH on anti-corruption. Referring to the EC Country Report 2020, he reminded that a new state-level anti-corruption strategy and action plan for the period 2020-2024 still need to be adopted and that authorities must ensure the effective functioning and coordination of corruption prevention bodies at all levels of government.
The Conference gathered 40 representatives of ministries, parliaments, other domestic institutions, international organisations, NGOs and media.
The Analysis was presented by the IPAK project experts, Srdjan Blagovčanin and Bojan Kovačević. The experts highlighted that the scope of their assessment compassed the harmonisation requirements related to the domestic legal framework in the light of twenty international legal documents for anti-corruption. The IPAK project team leader, Zoran Jachev said that the Analysis and recommendations are very comprehensive and should be used as a base and roadmap for needed improvement of the anti-corruption legislation at all levels in BiH.
The compliance check touched on twelve crucial areas: Anti-corruption bodies; Criminal legislation; Criminal procedure legislation; Integrity of public servants; Protection of persons reporting corruption; Financing of political activities; Free access to information; Prevention of conflicts of interest; Prevention of money laundering; Confiscation of illegally acquired property; Public sector audit; Anti-corruption mechanisms in public procurement.
For each of them, there are recommendations, such as: consider the possibility of legally defining ways to improve the effectiveness and quality of the coordination with other administrative levels and bodies (APIK), consider introducing the incrimination of illicit enrichment (criminal legislation), adopting or aligning laws on protection of persons reporting corruption, consolidating the legislation related to the financing of political parties and consider tightening sanctions for violations of those laws, etc.
The Project 'Institutional Support to Anti-Corruption' is funded by the European Union in the amount of 750.000 euro aiming to provide assistance to Anti-Corruption bodies and institutions at all levels of BiH to raise the fight against corruption in the country at a higher and more engaged level.
The complete analysis in local and in English language: