The Group of States against Corruption (GRECO), the anti-corruption monitoring body of the Council of Europe, warned its report released on Friday that Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) has not met a number of recommendations concerning the area of financing of political parties.
In the report adopted at GRECO’s 81stplenary meeting, it was noted that BiH has made very little progress since the last interim report of June 2017, with only one further recommendation being partly implemented.
When it comes to the transparency of party financing, GRECO recommends that BiH should review provisions relating to political parties, in particular to party financing or election campaign.
Concerning transparency of party funding, GRECO is disappointed that no progress has occurred since the Fourth Interim Compliance Report of 2017.
Much more needs to be done, inter alia, to harmonize the complex legal framework, promote the use of the banking system for contributions to political parties and increase the financial and personnel resources allocated to the Central Electoral Commission for the supervision of political financing.
President of GRECO Marin Mrcela stated that it is of crucial importance for BiH to fully comply with the GRECO recommendations, especially when it comes to the issue of financing political parties.
“This is not only crucial to the prevention of political corruption but an important element for functioning democracy,” Mrcela said.
GRECO urged authorities to continue the reform process so as to provide a fully harmonized and consistent legal framework for the criminalization of corruption offenses throughout the national territory.
“In total, still 10 of the 22 recommendations have been implemented satisfactorily to date. Eight recommendations have been partly implemented and four have not been implemented,” was stated in the report referring to general conclusions.
