Ambassador Berton: OSCE concerned about amendments to the Criminal Code of FBiH

Ambassador Bruce G. Berton, Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, reacted to the decision of the House of Representatives of the Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina to amend the Criminal Code of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

- The OSCE Mission to BiH expresses serious concern regarding the latest decision of the House of Representatives of the Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina to amend the Criminal Code of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in relation to the criminal offense of “Accepting a reward or other form of benefit for trading in influence” as one of the criminal offenses of corruption.

The Mission believes that this decision represents a partial amendment to the law, not a genuine effort to address corruption in a comprehensive manner. It is also concerning that the decision to amend the law was made in a shortened procedure and without proper debate.

Furthermore, the Mission believes that if this amendment is adopted, it will likely have a direct impact on the outcome of proceedings currently underway against politicians coming from parties that have a majority in the Parliament of FBiH. Therefore, this decision does not contribute to strengthening the fight against corruption, but rather undermines it.

All political structures in BiH, including those in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, have expressed their commitment to a comprehensive and far-reaching fight against corruption. The OSCE Mission to BiH calls on the Parliament of the Federation of BiH to make decisions that reflect this commitment.

The OSCE Mission to BiH will continue to closely monitor further developments regarding this issue and remains committed to supporting all levels of government in BiH in their efforts to fight corruption - said Berton.