For an efficient fight against corruption, the supervision of the spending of public money is crucial, and to all those who want to monitor and control the work of the government, Transparency International in BiH (TIBiH) presented 13 databases that help detect irregularities.
On these platforms, the media, civil society organizations, activists and all interested citizens can find out how public money is spent and how much of it goes to companies connected to elected officials, because almost 36 percent of those who reported ownership in private companies after the general elections have jobs with the state, TIBiH announced.
The register of officials reveals over 300 political leaders who hold multiple functions or sit at the head of associations that are financed from the budget, thus directly violating the current laws on conflict of interest. The register of concessions provides a broader picture of the management of public resources and politically connected investors, while other bases help to reveal their connection with the heads of institutions, public enterprises and institutions.
On special platforms, TIBiH also published data on the transparency of judicial institutions and their results in the fight against corruption in terms of the number of investigations, indictments and verdicts for corruption. How closed the system is and how much institutions obstruct supervision is best illustrated by data from the Justice Index, according to which as many as 35 percent of courts and prosecutor’s offices violated the legal deadline for responding to requests for free access to information, 46 percent of courts do not publish first-instance verdicts, and 85 percent of prosecutor’s offices hide plea agreements.
In addition to hiding its work from citizens, as stated by TIBiH, the work of the judiciary is characterized by the fact that half of the prosecutor’s offices in BiH do not conduct investigations for high corruption at all, which represents a serious blow to the rule of law and the culture of responsibility.
– Because of all this, it is necessary to start a broader social discussion on these issues, which was the reason for holding the conference “Citizens, tools and open data: How to get information of public importance” that Transparency International in Bosnia and Herzegovina (TI BiH) held today in Sarajevo. The conference, which was an introduction to TI BiH Expo – Fair of databases and tools developed with the aim of enabling easier access to public information, which is crucial for the prevention of corruption. That this is an essential issue for the European path – emphasized Age Sandal Moller, Ambassador of Denmark to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Moller points out that transparency and access to information for citizens and the media are essential prerequisites for any democratic society.
– Open data not only strengthens trust in institutions, but is also a key tool in the fight against corruption and a driver of economic growth. Denmark is a country based on trust in institutions, and the fight against corruption is essential on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s EU path. Our support aims to encourage the efforts of civil society, whose supervisory role is absolutely necessary – said the ambassador.
The delegation of the European Union in Bosnia and Herzegovina pointed out that the availability of information of public importance is essential for the empowerment of citizens in democracy.
– This is why it is of crucial importance for BiH to establish a fair and efficient mechanism for monitoring the implementation of laws that guarantee free access to public information, ensure impartial legal remedies and impose sanctions. The European Union will continue to advocate for cooperation between public institutions, civil society and the media in order to achieve this – said Aurelie Valtat, Head of the Sector for European Integration, Political Affairs, Media and Information in the EU Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In order to facilitate access to information and break the “wall of silence”, in addition to the mentioned information to the public on various platforms, TIBiH also opened data on the operations and management structures of public institutions and companies, the distribution of public funds to non-profit organizations, information on the processing of corruption and the transparency of the work of the judiciary, monitoring reforms in the field of the fight against corruption, and various tools for monitoring the distribution of public funds, strengthening the integrity of institutions and the responsibility of holders of the highest public offices.
