OSCE supports visit to Georgia by Regional Anti-corruption Platform members from the Western Balkans, Ukraine and Moldova

From 6 to 8 September, the OSCE Transnational Threat Department’s Border Security and Management Unit organized a working visit to Georgia, with the support of the Georgian Revenue Service and Ministry of Internal Affairs. This visit was an opportunity for members of the Platform, which focuses on preventing and countering corruption at the border, to improve their skills and learn from the Georgian experience.

Integrity standards and regulations on preventing corruption at the border were explored during the visit, which brought together 11 participants from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Montenegro, and Ukraine.

The participants had the opportunity to learn from best practices and challenges faced by their Georgian counterparts related to the integrity and anti-corruption efforts made by border and law enforcement agencies.   

During the visit, the participants analyzed Georgia’s law-enforcement and administrative rationalizations  and digitalization, which considerably reduced corruption in public administration. They have also elaborated on the co-operation between Customs Service and the Patrol Police, as well as co-operation with neighboring countries on integrity matters and the mutual advantages of this partnership. Internal control mechanisms, declaration of assets and whistleblowing were also discussed by the members of the Anti-corruption Platform.

In addition, the participants looked into the correlation between gender and corruption and assessed the impact of gender mainstreaming in building integrity and preventing corruption in border agencies.

One of the highlights of this initiative was the site visit to the Sadakhlo Border Crossing Point with Armenia, where the delegates had the opportunity to see the anti-corruption practices and policies they had discussed put into practice.