Building resilience to corruption in South-Eastern Europe, focus of OSCE regional conference in Skopje

SKOPJE, 10 February 2020 – Representatives of national and international anti-corruption bodies and law enforcement agencies from South-Eastern Europe met today in Skopje at a two-day regional conference, organized by the OSCE Mission to Skopje and OSCE Albania’s Chairmanship. The event will focus on preventing and tackling corruption.

Participants from the region will discuss best practices and share knowledge on anti-corruption activities as well as further developing preventive measures aimed at better curbing corruption.

“Anti-corruption agencies across the region require both independence and close co-operation with other institutions and authorities in the enforcement chain: particularly the prosecution and police,” said the Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje Clemens Koja. “We need to keep focusing our collective actions on preventing corruption. Focus on the transparency of public institutions, including their procurement practices; have whistleblowing and conflict of interest policies in place; as well as build the capacity of relevant law enforcement agencies in their response to corruption discoveries,” said Koja. 

Paola Severino, the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Combating Corruption, said: “The consistency of OSCE’s approach to combating corruption, including the constant promotion of ownership by the host countries, have generated significant trust and commitment from the regional stakeholders in South-Eastern Europe.”

Severino said that while she is aware that OSCE is not the only international actor focusing on combating corruption, the reserve of trust and commitment that the OSCE has built can also serve as a catalyst in advancing other regional initiatives. “These can benefit from the positive momentum created by the impact of OSCE projects. Particularly in promoting the need to pursue a holistic approach that prioritizes prevention and incentives alongside repressive measures,” she said.

The conference, attended by some 70 participants, is also supported by the OSCE field operations in the Western Balkans.