On June 15 2021, the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) have announced a new three-year project to empower authorities and citizens in Bosnia and Herzegovina to tackle corruption.
The OSCE Mission to BiH and INL presented the details of the project to an online gathering of representatives from the BiH Agency for the Prevention of Corruption and Coordination of the Fight against Corruption, along with anti-corruption teams across the country. The U.S.-funded project, which will be implemented by the OSCE Mission, features a comprehensive public awareness-raising campaign on the consequences of corruption and what citizens can do to prevent it. It also provides funding for strengthening the capacity of BiH anti-corruption bodies to prevent corruption.
This project supports broader international community efforts in assisting BiH authorities and citizens to combat corruption in order to improve economic conditions and create a more stable, prosperous country for the benefit of all citizens. The public awareness campaign will be designed to help and encourage BiH citizens to recognize and reject all forms of corrupt practices, and to report any abuses they may encounter to the appropriate authorities.
The OSCE Head of Mission to BiH Kathleen Kavalec said: “This project takes our corruption prevention work to the next level by giving the citizens and taxpayers of BiH the information and the tools they need to insist on accountability from public institutions and officials.”
U.S. Ambassador Eric Nelson added: “We know that corruption saps economic growth, hinders development, destabilizes governments, undermines democracy, and provides openings for dangerous groups such as criminals, traffickers, and terrorists. This is why we support efforts like this one to prevent graft, strengthen investigation and prosecution of corruption, promote accountability and transparency, and empower reformers in BiH.”
