Greater efforts needed for effective system to tackle corruption in BiH, highlights OSCE course

A two-day specialized security policy course for ministerial officials, members of parliaments, judiciary, academia and civil society, on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Strategy for fighting corruption concluded on 26 March 2014 in Konjic.

The course was organised by the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Inter-Ministerial Working Group for Monitoring Security Policy Implementation, and the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption and Coordination of the Fight against Corruption.

“Corruption is an abuse of entrusted power or responsibility - whether in the public or private sector - for private gain, and it must be fought,” said Nina Suomalainen, Deputy Head of OSCE Mission to BiH. “It undermines democratic institutions and the rule of law and public trust, and it slows investment and economic development.”

Participants examined the prevention and fight against corruption in the context of BiH’s security policy and discussed challenges to the implementation of strategic documents. Comprehensive governmental and non-governmental plans for countering corruption across BiH were presented on the second day. 

“Combating corruption entails an extremely organized, strategic, long-term process of implementing purposefully defined measures for corruption prevention and reduction,” said Suomalainen. “It all begins with understanding the importance of fighting corruption, the challenges it presents and focusing on how challenges can be overcome across all of our institutions.”