Anti-Corruption Agencies in the Western Balkan Countries: Delivering on the Promise
Anti-Corruption Agencies in the Western Balkan Countries: Delivering on the Promise

Author(s): Author Not Specified
Subject(s): Politics, Civil Society, Governance, Public Administration, Government/Political systems, Corruption - Transparency - Anti-Corruption
Published by: Institut alternativa
Keywords: anti-corruption agencies; Western Balkans; institutional capacity; political interference; enforcement effectiveness; conflict of interest; EU integration
Summary/Abstract: There has been gradual progress towards the institutional strengthening of anti-corruption bodies in the region but it remains weak and haphazard. None of the agencies/commissions in the Western Balkans meets the international state of the art for success in anti-corruption. Although there are differences in their authorities and capacity levels, all anti-corruption bodies in the region besides Montenegrin Agency for Prevention of Corruption, remain severely under-resourced. Anti-corruption agencies across the region need support and close cooperation with other institutions in the anti-corruption chain, in particular with the police and prosecution. The legislative framework regulating the work of the anti-corruption agencies across the region is established, but the high-level corruption cases remain on the margins of these agencies’ work. In Serbia and Montenegro, there are serious concerns about strong political meddling in the appointment of the agencies’ directors. Although anti-corruption agencies across the region are empowered with jurisdictions to control a very wide range of public officials’ conflicts of interest, high-level officials still remain largely off the radar.

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