ANTIKORUPCIJSKA MREŽA U BOSNI I HERCEGOVINI

ACCOUNT

Sarajevo, September 28, 2017 ANTIKORUPCIJSKA MREŽA U BOSNI I HERCEGOVINI

WHAT ACCOUNT STANDS FOR…

It is the Anti-corruption Network composed of more than 90 CSOs interested in fighting corruption in BiH.

ACCOUNT Activity is fully funded by USAID and is implemented by the Center for Media Development and Analysis and its partner INFOHOUSE. ANTIKORUPCIJSKA MREŽA U BOSNI I HERCEGOVINI

ACTIVITY COMPONENTS

ACCOUNT activity focuses its assistance across four (4) general components:

C1: public C2: monitoring and C3: public C4: free legal advocacy on reporting on awareness through assistance to selected anti- corruption in the strategically victims of corruption selected sectors targeted media corruption legislation campaigns whistleblowers ANTIKORUPCIJSKA MREŽA U BOSNI I HERCEGOVINI

ACTIVITY SECTORS

Effecitve mechanisms for preventing or sanctioning corruptin are provided in five (5) project sectors:

• public procurement • whistleblowers protection • employment in public sector • healthcare • education ANTIKORUPCIJSKA MREŽA U BOSNI I HERCEGOVINI

HOW WE DO THAT

By... Strenghtening partnership between selected anti-corruption CSOs from ACCOUNT‘s Network and government institutions at all levels involved in anti-corruption reforms in BiH

Through... Joint meetings, conferences, public discussions, working groups composed of members of CSOs, govrenment officials, political leaders, and other key anti-corruption actors involved in development and implementation of anti-corruption legislation, strategies, programs, and activities

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For that... At the state level... MoU was signed with the state Anti-corruption Agency (APIK) on coordination of whistleblowing sector. APIK grants protected status to whistleblowers, while ACCOUNT advocates for development and passage of the state and entity/levels whistleblowing laws, provides free legal aid to whistleblowers, as well as investigative reporting on corruptive behaviors within BiH institutions.

A new initative has been launched to identify corruption risks in the amended state law on whistleblowers which were submitted to the BiH Parliament for consideration.

A particular attention was made on ACCOUNT’s involvement and inputs regarding amandments to the Law on Public Procurement, awaiting parliamentary (re)approval. ANTIKORUPCIJSKA MREŽA U BOSNI I HERCEGOVINI

At the entity level...in the Republika Srpska entity, MoU was signed with the RS Ministry of Justice on development and implementation of the new RS Whistleblowers Protection Law, and the main ACCOUNT‘s recommendations were included in the final law. The new RS law allows external reporting of corruption to civil society organizations, exempts whistleblowers from court fees (if allegations prove to be correct), and reduces the statutory timeframe for courts to respond to whistleblower disclosures.

In 2017, ACCOUNT and the RS MoJ jointly conducted four rounds of training programs for more than 900 rep. from the RS public institutions on development of integrity plans.

The RS MoJ called ACCOUNT along with other anti-corruption organizations (OSCE, TI, etc.) to participate in development of a new RS Anti-corruption Strategy (2018-2022). Further, in partnership with the RS MoJ, ACCOUNT‘s free legal aid model will be presented to the RS regional Centers for Free Legal Assissistance. ANTIKORUPCIJSKA MREŽA U BOSNI I HERCEGOVINI

Further...

In the Federation of BiH, the Minister of Justice recently received ACCOUNT‘s delegation on development of the Whistleblowers Protection Law.

Partnership with cantonal ministries of education (in Sarajevo Canton, Herzegovina-Neretva Canton) in the Federation of BiH and the Ministry of Education in the Republika Srpska entity resulted with introduction of anti- corruption classes in 35 selected primary and secondary schools. More than 500 students attended pilot classes in Sarajevo, Bijeljina, Stolac, Trebinje… ANTIKORUPCIJSKA MREŽA U BOSNI I HERCEGOVINI At the cantonal level...a tripartite cooperation, through MoUs between ACCOUNT, APIK and cantonal anti-corruption teams has been in force since January 2017. In Sarajevo Canton, ACCOUNT has developed and introduced a model Rulebook on anti-corruption policies and procedures in 9 healthcare institutions and the General Hospital. Next is Zenica-Doboj Canton in which a similar model will be presented to 12 healthcare institutions (with 60 branches) and 2 hospitals. ACCOUNT and the Anti-corruption team partnered to develop the Anti-corruption Strategy for this canton.

At the local level... MoUs were signed with the 16 selected municipalities /towns in the FBiH and RS entities on development of anti-corruption action plans, and 10 were adopted by the municipality councils. ACCOUNT will now conduct monitoring and impact survey on the effects.

MoUs were also signed with the two selected municipalities on introduction of Rulebooks on fighting corruption in employment sector. ANTIKORUPCIJSKA MREŽA U BOSNI I HERCEGOVINI

Partnership is the key...

All these joint strategies, programs and activities as well as major achievements could not be made without being strongly supported by the governemnt, and we are proud that our government has recognized ACCOUNT as a reliable partner in these endeavors.

Such collaboration is an example of how the government and NGOs can work together and address major issues that affect citizens’ lives. ANTIKORUPCIJSKA MREŽA U BOSNI I HERCEGOVINI

Thank You