You have a chance to choose leaders who will protect your interests, not party ones

Chargé d'Affaires of the US Embassy in BiH Nicholas M. Hill is the author of a new blog posted on the Embassy's website, which the Bosnian news agency Patria publishes in full. 

Corruption permeates this country and citizens are outraged.  Large-scale corruption is destroying an already fragile economy, while petty corruption makes people's lives harder day by day. Reports show that 70 percent of corruption investigations are dropped, even when corrupt individuals and activities have been identified.

Research shows that, among the countries of the former Yugoslavia, BiH is perceived as the country with the biggest corruption problem, which drives away investments needed for business development, job creation, and improving living standards.  Since I have been here, I have spoken with businesspeople who tell me they are giving up or have decided to sell off what they have. Others, including young and energetic entrepreneurs, say they will never agree to pay the bribes demanded of them, even if they have to close their companies and lay off workers, and that they are ready to move to another country. I do not know if this is an exaggeration, but I know their frustration is real.  Research shows that due to corruption, this country loses 47 KM every second. That is over 4 million KM daily that is not spent on education, infrastructure, healthcare, and other basic needs.

Corruption is not exclusive to Bosnia and Herzegovina. It exists even in America. But the difference is that other countries have instruments to fight it.  Whistleblower protection laws are enforced. Audits and inspections are conducted in public institutions, and irregularities found in operations are corrected. The police have investigative units and cases are actively prosecuted.  Journalists and civil society activists monitor, investigate, and report on the work of business entities and political leaders to prevent dishonest actions. BiH has made noticeable progress in some of these areas. I am impressed by the tireless investigative work and oversight that I see carried out by, among others, organizations like ACCOUNT, the Center for Investigative Journalism, and CCI, with the aim of revealing the truth to their fellow citizens. Similarly, some analytical and investigative reports have played a key role in informing voters ahead of the upcoming elections. Bosnia and Herzegovina needs more citizens to join such activities.

But generally, BiH's institutions have not effectively dealt with curbing corruption. According to Transparency International, last year there were fewer successfully prosecuted corruption cases than in any previous year since they started tracking such cases.  The system is getting worse - not better.

As long as a university diploma, or a job, or a hospital bed can be bought with a bribe, this country will face a serious corruption problem.  No one wants to pay bribes, but that is the reality that a large number of citizens live with every day.  What hurts even more is not just the fact that citizens have to pull money from their wallets for services that should be funded by taxes, but that their wallets are already “thin” because investors are hesitant to invest in BiH. They do not want to deal with corruption, and they do not have to – they will be better off investing their money elsewhere  in the region. 

Neither all the hard work of journalists and NGOs, nor the risk taken by ordinary citizens who want to publicly point out abuses, will result in a better quality of life for BiH citizens until the police, prosecution, and courts start treating corruption cases seriously. Judicial reform has been delayed for a long time, and existing laws need to be enforced. People have the right to expect the authorities to protect them from criminals and to bring criminals to justice.

Citizens cannot fight corruption alone. But there are things you can do right away, such as organizing against corrupt behavior or, most importantly, you can use your right to vote and demand accountability from politicians.  Next weekend, you will have a chance to elect candidates who have integrity. Leaders who will protect your interests, not their party coffers. Choose wisely.