Young Politicians Come Together Against Corruption at the SEE-TAC II Skopje Event

“Western Balkans Next Gen: Leading the Fight Against Corruption” event, organized by the Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative (RAI) in partnership with the Regional Youth Cooperation Council (RYCO), gathered over 30 young politicians and political activists who discussed good leadership and its role in anti-corruption efforts in North Macedonia in Skopje earlier today. 

Mr. David Muckenhuber, Head of the Regional Coordination Office for Technical Cooperation of the Austrian Embassy, opened the event on behalf of Austrian Development Cooperation and highlighted the continued dedication of the Republic of Austria to anti-corruption efforts in the Western Balkans region.

Director of the RAI Secretariat, Ms. Desislava Gotskova, welcomed participants and highlighted the role young people play in building a better future for the region.

“Young people who are with us here today have the potential to bring fresh perspectives, new energy, and, most importantly, integrity to the political process. However, with this potential comes a responsibility to lead with honesty, transparency, and an unwavering commitment to fight against corruption in all its forms. As future leaders, our participants have the power to not only challenge corruption but to build new structures of governance where transparency, accountability, and ethical conduct are the norm, not the exception.”

The event is the first in the series of youth-oriented events organized under the Southeast Europe-Together Against Corruption II (SEE-TAC II) project, funded by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA). 

RYCO provided its support in bringing the event to life, as a partner organisation dedicated to promoting the participation of youth in the Western Balkans region. Commenting on today’s event, General Secretary of RYCO, Mr. Albert Hani, said: “Today, more than ever, youth in the Western Balkans are actively engaged in social life and are advocating for change. They are vocal about issues like social inequality, youth rights, and the fight against crime, including corruption, which as a long-term issue corruption demands a holistic, multi-sector response. If we aim to change the perception of corruption from an accepted norm to a recognized crime, we must work together to demystify it and clearly explain its negative impact. Youth involvement must remain a priority in this process.”

Participants got to take part in interactive presentations that explored themes such as transparency and accountability, building trust between youth and government, and cooperation between government and civil society organisations. The latter part of the event was dedicated to workshops in which participants took the lead and discussed relevant issues related to corruption. 

SEE-TAC II regional programme is funded by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) with funds from the Austrian Development Cooperation and implemented by RAI, in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The series of youth-centered events will continue throughout the duration of the project.