Empowerment of Anti-corruption in Bosnia and Herzegovina: What Anti-corruption bodies need to effectively counter corruption
On June 13th 2019 starting from 14:30h, at the Parliamentarian Assembly of BiH (Sarajevo, Trg BiH 1), the EU funded Project “Support to implementing anticorruption strategies in BiH” (Institucionalna podrška antikorupciji – IPAK) and Agency for the Prevention of Corruption and Coordination of the Fight against Corruption (APIK) will organize the Conference “Empowerment of Anti-corruption in BiH: What Anti-corruption bodies need to effectively counter corruption!”.
At the Conference, which will be chaired by the Head of the Delegation of the EU to BiH and EU Special Representative in BiH, Ambassador Lars-Gunnar Wigemark heads of the governments and heads of anticorruption bodies are invited to discuss the needs of the anticorruption bodies for effective countering corruption, while EU Member State embassies, US embassy, OSCE and other international organisations and representatives of civil society and media are invited to observe the discussion.
The European Commission Opinion on BiH's application for EU membership was issued on May 29, 2019. One of the recommendations (7 b) of the Opinion addresses the need to "ensure effective functioning and coordination of anti-corruption bodies" in BiH.
Currently, only 2 out of 14 anti-corruption bodies in BiH of are fully professionalised, while others are of ad-hoc character mostly with part-time staff with insufficient capacities and resources. Effective fight against corruption requires permanent, fully resourced and independent corruption-prevention institutions at all levels; institutions with their own budgets, clearly defined competencies, organizational position, procedures for their work, with full and unconditional support at their respective level of government.
Agenda of the conference
Open session (with media)
14:30 – 14:40 Welcome addressby the Head of the Delegation of the EU to BiH and EU Special Representative in BiH, Ambassador Lars-Gunnar Wigemark – chairperson of the conference
Closed session
14:40 – 14:50 Role and purpose of anti-corruption bodies – Mr Zoran Jachev, Team Leader of the IPAK Project
14:50 – 15:20 Presentation of the 'List of Needs' by APIK together with co-presenters from other anti-corruption bodies
15:20 – 15:50 Open discussion with heads of governments moderated by the Head of the Delegation of the EU to BiH and EU Special Representative in BiH, Ambassador Lars-Gunnar Wigemark
15:50 – 15:55 Conclusions by the Head of the Delegation of the EU to BiH and EU Special Representative in BiH, Ambassador Lars-Gunnar Wigemark
15:55 – 16:00 Family picture: Ambassador Lars-Gunnar Wigemark with Heads of Governments and Heads of Anti-corruption Bodies
(for the media)
16:00 – 16:15 Press statement by Head of the Delegation of the EU to BiH and EU Special Representative in BiH, Ambassador Lars-Gunnar Wigemark