Conference in Mostar: US supports only credible partners in the fight against corruption

MOSTAR, (Patria) – On the occasion of the International Anti-Corruption Day on December 9, a Conference on Integrated Investigations in Corruption Cases is being held in Mostar, organized by the Office for Combating Corruption and Quality Management of Sarajevo Canton, and according to the INL Program of the United States Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Representatives of anti-corruption bodies, as well as representatives of the media and civil society organizations, are participating in the conference, which is intended for representatives of anti-corruption bodies, as well as representatives of the media and civil society organizations, by considering their role in such cases.

The Head of the Office for Combating Corruption and Quality Management of KS, Erduan Kafedžić, presented the online registers established by the Office during his address at the conference, which include data related to the public sector of Sarajevo Canton, the register of employees, appointed officials, public procurement, the property register, transfers, and incentives in economy and agriculture.

Kafedžić announced a new film today that will show an even more brutal attitude of politicians towards nature and spatial planning, the environment, and citizens' health. With the help of the US Embassy, the Office released the film "By Whose Measure" on November 22, on the topic of "Corruption in Construction and Spatial Planning in Sarajevo Canton".

He called on institutions to start developing integrity plans for public institutions as soon as possible so that this practice can be implemented quickly.

During the promotion of the film "By Whose Measure", Kafedžić highlighted the connection between political parties and construction companies that give part of the money to political parties. The information obtained by the office has been forwarded to the KS Prosecutor's Office.

Erik Larson, advisor to the Office for Combating Corruption, said that the US is ready to work only with credible partners in the fight against corruption.

"Investors avoid investing in areas where corruption is present. The fight against corruption requires a systematic approach and solutions. An integrative approach implies cooperation between anti-corruption authorities, police, and prosecution, as well as regional and international cooperation, and equally important, active engagement of citizens," said Larson, adding that cooperation has been established with the Croatian USKOK.

And while the EU reports on BiH highlight the work of the Office in KS as a bright example, it seems that both the government and the opposition are doing everything to hinder the work of the Office and even belittle it.

MP questions in the KS Assembly about the work of the Office are not uncommon, as well as about the reports sent to the KS Prosecutor's Office, and whether they are useful and yield results, as well as questions about employee salaries. The KS Prosecutor's Office itself responded to one of the deputies that from 2018 to November 23, 2021, a total of 92 cases were initiated by the Office for Combating Corruption, including 39 criminal charges, 12 pieces of information about knowledge of a potential criminal offense, 41 criminal charges/information from anonymous citizens, and from other institutions that were submitted to the Office and forwarded for competent proceedings.

Six cases were concluded with indictments, 17 were concluded with a negative prosecutorial decision not to conduct an investigation, one case was transferred to another prosecutor's office, and the remaining cases are in the process of verifying the allegations from the submitted charges/information.

The KS Prosecutor's Office also emphasized that the Office does not have the jurisdiction and resources of other law enforcement agencies, but that the content of the reports has been improved and that they have good cooperation.

It should be reminded that the Office is also responsible for verifying thousands of diplomas of employees in the public sector of KS, and so far more than 60 fake diplomas have been discovered, and several indictments have been filed.