Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative organized the 18th Summer School on Corruption Risk Assessment (CRA) and Corruption Proofing of Legislation (CPL) for Junior Anti-Corruption Practitioners from South-East Europe. It took place on 3-7 July in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In her opening remarks, the Head of RAI Secretariat pointed out that Summer School was originally initiated in 2005 to build and strengthen the capacities of anti-corruption bodies in the region and to provide a platform for junior practitioners to learn new practices and share knowledge and experience.
This year’s focus is on corruption risk assessment and corruption proofing of legislation as strong corruption prevention mechanisms with an aim to enable the participants, junior representatives of anti-corruption agencies and ministries of justice to obtain advanced knowledge on the latest developments and practice in these fields and prepare them to use this knowledge in their daily work said Ms. Gotskova.
Starting with 18th Summer School, RAI Secretariat is launching the Anti-Corruption Summer School Alumni, an exclusive platform designed to foster continued collaboration, knowledge sharing, and professional development among past participants of the program.
Mr. Elvis Kondzic, Director of the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption and Coordination of the Fight against Corruption (APIK) in Bosnia and Herzegovina expressed gratitude to RAI Secretariat for organizing such an event in Sarajevo.
The fight against corruption requires continuous actions in order to strengthen the institutions in countering this issue. Progress in this field requires more concrete action on the ground. When preparing the laws related to the fight against corruption and conflict of interest, legislators should focus on the possibility of implementing the law and thus enabling the normal functioning of the competent institutions – Mr. Kondzic stressed.
Mr. Ugo Poli, FPA Project Manager in Central European Initiative – CEI, briefly introduced what CEI is and emphasized that it is the oldest regional intergovernmental organization in Central and Eastern Europe, being established in November 1989.
The CEI has consistently prioritized strengthening institutional capacity and tools to fight corruption in its member states, aligning with good governance goals and EU accession. Cooperation mechanisms and data exchange between oversight bodies are crucial for curbing corruption at the regional level. The “International Treaty on Data Exchange on Asset Disclosure and Conflict of Interest” is a significant outcome of RAI’s work, implementing a key recommendation from the Joint Declaration against Corruption. RAI-CEI cooperation, initiated during the “Curbing Corruption” conference in 2019, led to support for RAI Summer Schools and an anticorruption learning platform – Mr. Poli concluded.
18th edition of the Summer School gathered prominent experts who delivered their presentations on corruption risk assessment and corruption proofing of legislation.
Ms. Ana Arsenijevic Momcilovic and Mr. Jovan Nicic, CRA and CPL experts and trainers at the 18th Summer School, talked about CRA and CPL as anti-corruption tools. They presented concept, purpose, different approaches, and methodological steps in conducting CRA and CPL mechanisms. During the second day, trainers drew a parallel between the CRA and CPL as two important mechanisms in preventing corruption.
Recognizing the importance of practical skills in the anti-corruption area, trainers facilitated immersive case studies, and group projects. Participants enhanced their abilities to identify corruption risks, developed strategies for risk mitigation, and learned to employ advanced tools to detect and prevent corruption. These hands-on experiences equipped our junior practitioners with the confidence to tackle real-world challenges head-on.
On the margins of both days, participants took part in the Tour de Table and presented their country’s good practices related to the mechanisms and tools for CRA and CPL. This was the opportunity for an open discussion on how to further enhance regional cooperation in these fields.
Mr. Nikola Naumovski, RAI Senior Anti-Corruption Advisor briefly introduced the work of RAI Secretariat to the participants, giving special attention to RAI’s strategic objectives that will be a focus for the next three years.
Mr. Igor Corluka, an expert advisor in the field of corruption proofing of legislation within APIK presented the work of APIK and stressed the value of support provided by RAI throughout the years.
The 18th Edition of the Summer School enabled junior practitioners to learn about the latest developments and practices in the field of corruption risk assessment and corruption proofing of legislation and guide them in identifying the mechanisms for the prevention of corruption. This was also the opportunity to share common values and exchange new experiences and discuss new perspectives in areas of common interest.
The 18th edition of the Summer School was co-funded by the Central European Initiative.
