Transparency International BiH says that the process of drafting of the new Law on Prevention of Conflict of Interests is a dangerous attempt to make the very institute of conflict of interest devoid of all meaning and fully deregulate the field.
TI BiH says the process was totally opaque, complaining that it tried in vain to get more information about the drafting process.
“A public debate on the Draft is needed, having in mind the fact that proposed provisions are disastrous and directly opposed to public interest”, TI BiH says, adding that in view of problems that implementation of existing law faced, it is hard to grasp the offered solutions in the new Law that practically legalize the corruption.
Transparency International BiH will appeal to all national and international institutions to prevent the political violence and discrimination of BiH citizens and intends to use all available legal means to prevent the apparent legalization of corruption.
From the opining provisions on persons and institutions that it shall cover, the Draft-Law allows public officials unimpeded engagement in private companies, private interest is superimposed on the public, and officials are allowed to take care of their private interests in the public service.
The organisation finds the provisions that charges can be brought only ex officio, being denied to the citizens, and also objects the very lenient sanctioning policies and provisions.
“Instead for bringing about sterner and stricter sanctions, the Law prescribes just fines for perpetrators. The reliance on fines, compared to opportunities for embezzlement that the Draft-Law provides for public officials is just a symbolic satisfaction of justice", TI BiH says.
Finally, Transparency International BiH finds the Draft-Law fully unacceptable and demands from the authorities much more rigid approach to the new draft or, at least, to keep in place the existing Law on Prevention of Conflict of Interests, which at least formally provides better grounds for the fight against corruption.
