FINAL REPORT JULY 2015 – SEPTEMBER 2019 USAID/BIH ANTI-CORRUPTION CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS UNIFIED NETWORK (ACCOUNT) FOLLOW-ON ACTIVITY

SeptemberQUARTERLY 2019 PROGRESS REPORT Cooperative Agreement No. AID-168-A-15-00001

Implemented by:

Radićeva 2 Skenderija 17 , Sarajevo BiH Telephone: 387 33 263 546 Telephone: 387 33 209 304 / 200 538

DISCLAIMER

This document was produced for review and approval by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by CRMA and INFOHOUSE in tandem. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

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Contents Acronym……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….3 EXECUTIVE SUMMRAY………………………………………………………………………….....4 OVERVIEW………………………………………………………………………………………….5 SUMMARY OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND RESULTS ACHIEVD………………………………..6 SUMMARY OF PROBLEMS/OBSTACLES ENCOUNTERED ...... 9 KEY ACTIVITIES ...... 12 Component 1 ...... 12 Activity 1.1: Public Advocacy on Whistleblower Protection (IH) ...... 12 Activity 1.2: Public Advocacy on Public Procurement (CRMA) ...... 17 Activity 1.3: Public Advocacy on Healthcare (IH) ...... 20 Activity 1.4: Public Advocacy on Public Sector Recruitment (Employment) (CRMA) ...... 24 Activity 1.5: Public Advocacy on Education (IH) ...... 28 Component 2 ...... 32 Activity 2.1: CSOs Coordination (IH) ...... 32 Activity 2.2: Monitoring corruption in selected sectors (CRMA) ...... 37 Activity 2.3: Anti-Corruption Strategies at the Local Level (IH) ...... 40 Component 3 ...... 46 Activity 3.1: Public awareness trough strategically targeted media campaigns (CRMA) ...... 46 Component 4. Free Legal assistance to victims of corruption and whistleblowers (IH) ...... 55 MEL PLAN INDICATOR DATA ………………………………………………………………….62 BEST PRACTICIES, LESSONS LEARNED AND RECOMMENDATIONS………………………. 63 SUCCESS STORIES………………………………………………………………………………. 66

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Acronym

ACCOUNT BiH’s Anti-Corruption Civic Organizations’ Unified Network follow-on activity AC - Anti-Corruption CSO - Civil Society Organization NGO - Non-Governmental Organization BiH -Bosnia and Herzegovina FBiH - Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Entity in BiH) RS - (Entity in BiH) KS - Canton Sarajevo Ze-Do -- Canton BPK - Bosnia-Podrinje Canton PK - HNK - Herzegovina-Neretva Canton ZHK - West Herzegvoina Canton Canton 10 USK - Una-Sana Canton SBK - Midle-Bosnia Canton TK - Canton APIK- Agency for Prevention of Corruption and Coordination of the Fight Against Corruption MoJ - Ministry of Justice EDU - Sector Area on Education EMPL - Sector Area Public Employment HEALTH - Sector Area Public Healthcare PP - Sector Area on Public Procurement WBP - Sector Area Whistleblower Protection SG - Sector Group MT - Monitoring Team WG - Working Group MoU - Memorandum of Understanding MoC - Memorandum of Cooperation CRCD - Centar za razvoj civilnog društva (Eng. Center for Development of Civil Society OCT - Omladinski centar (Eng. Youth Center Trebinje) CGS - Centar za građansku saradnju (Eng. Center for Civic Cooperation) CROA - Centar za razvoj omladinskog aktivizma (Eng. Center for Development of Youth Activism) HCABL – Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly HCHR – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights CPZ –Centar ženskih prava (Eng. Center of Woman’s Rights) FRD – Fondacija za razvoj i demokratiju (Eng. Foundation for Development and Democracy) ICVA – Inicijativa i civilna akcija (Eng.I Initiative and Civic Action) SOS - Srpski omladinski savez (Eng. Serb Youth Organization)

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY From July 2015 to September 2019, USAID/Bosnia and Herzegovina funded the Anti –Corruption Civic Organizations' Unified Network in BiH - ACCOUNT follow-on activity implemented by the Center for Media Development and Analysis (CRMA) and its partner INFOHOUSE (IH). ACCOUNT follow-on was designed to continue and advocate for anti- corruption legislation processes in the Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) public sector, improve monitoring and reporting on cases of corruption, increase public awareness of corruption through media campaigns, and create an environment, which protects legal rights of victims of corruption and whistleblowers. ACCOUNT's efforts are directed to contribute to BiH accession process to the European Union (EU) in order to solidify progress made to date and to help BiH continue to move forward.

Despite the political challenges, ACCOUNT found ways to approach realization of project objectives and maintained collaborative partnerships with the key anti-corruption counterparts, including the Anti-corruption Agency (APIK), anti-corruption bodies at all levels of governments, ministry-level institutions, ACCOUNT’s small-size grantees, local and regional experts to prime anti-corruption interventions in the five selected sectors (whistleblower protection, public procurement, employment, healthcare, education) promote concepts of efficient protection of whistleblowers, and contribute to increase communication avenues on corruption monitoring and reporting, all of which positioned ACCOUNT high in anti-corruption reform agenda in BiH. ACCOUNT’s model proved to be a good example of how the government and CSOs can work together and address anti –corruption issues that affect citizens’ lives.

At the end of the Activity in 2019, ACCOUNT is on track to ensure key project achievements and USAID’s objectives. Based on that, ACCOUNT leaves with its counterparts a great number of anti- corruption policy documents developed and ready for implementation, namely the anti-corruption Rulebooks in the public healthcare and employment sectors; the amended Public procurement Law; a process of introduction of anti-corruption pilot classes into school cross-curricula launched as organic model rather than being institutionalized; a lot of contacts and channels of dialogue between the selected anti- corruption CSOs and government institutions at all levels; conditions for harmonization of anti-corruption legislations, namely in whistleblowing and public procurement sectors, all of which drawn as a result of ACCOUNT’s progressive support.

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OVERWIEV

The USAID Anti-Corruption Civic Organizations' Unified Network in BiH - ACCOUNT is a 4-year activity implemented by the Center for Media Development and Analysis (CRMA) and its partner INFOHOUSE (IH). The activity started on July 15, 2015 and last until September 30, 2019.

The overall objective of ACCOUNT was to create an environment that fosters increased civil society participation in anti-corruption initiatives and reforms through strengthened collaboration and cooperation. It also evolved as the next step to shift priorities and activities in accordance with the anti-corruption obligations required for Euro-Atlantic integration. ACCOUNT activity focused its assistance across four (4) general components:

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

The goal of ACCOUNT was to propose and conduct effective mechanisms for preventing or sanctioning corrupt behavior in five (5) selected sectors: 1. public procurement 2. whistleblower protection 3. employment in public sector 4. healthcare 5. education

This was done through evidence-based research, civic monitoring and investigative reporting on corruption cases, as well as through introduction of public policies consistent with the input from the civil society organizations. The additional effort through this activity was to increase the volume, quality, and outreach of sector-based monitoring reports, while ensuring that they are accompanied by appropriate and timely investigative media reports to raise public awareness and stimulate civic participation. This final report presents the key anti-corruption reforms and results that ACCOUNT achieved for the duration of Activity lifetime (July 15, 2015 - September 30, 2019), summaries of problems/obstacles encountered, as well as the activity-level consolidated performance reports

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SUMMARY OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND RESULTS ACHIEVED

ACCOUNT's flexible, demand-driven approach proved to be an effective methodology to align technical assistance with counterpart-identified priorities, while preserving focus on key anti- corruption legislation initiatives in the projects sectors. Based on that, ACCOUNT made standing arrangements with government institutions at all levels, through Memorandum of Understandings (MoU). The first MoU (April 2016) was signed with the state Anti-corruption Agency (APIK) on coordination in the whistleblowing sector. APIK has the legitimacy to grant protected status to whistleblowers, while ACCOUNT works on development and implementation of anti-corruption policies and procedures in line with the national Anti - corruption Strategy, provides free legal aid to whistleblowers and reports on corruptive behaviors within BiH institutions. Strengthening whistleblowing legislations at all levels was dominant in ACCOUNT's work over the course of the Activity. ACCOUNT’s involvement in further strengthening the BiH Law on Protection of Whistleblowers was a result of ACCOUNT’s work with the USAID/Strengthening Institution Governance Project (SGIP) to assess corruption and other risks in the amended state law on whistleblowers, which was submitted to the BiH Parliament for consideration.

To increase the understanding of anti-corruption CSOs on advocacy principles and how they work in parliamentary practices and procedures, ACCOUNT developed the Publication titled “All you ever wanted to know about the Parliament, but was afraid to ask…” This Publication is available at http://infohouse.ba/publikacije-clanci/item/135-sve-sto-ste-ikada-htjeli-znati-o-parlamentu-a-niste- smjeli-pitati

Positioning ACCOUNT in the RS entity to work on demanding anti-corruption interventions was a huge success. Following signing of the MoU with the RS Ministry of Justice, from January to July 2017, ACCOUNT was directly involved in development of the RS Law on Protection of Whistleblowers as well as in four public discussions on law improvements, with passage of the Law in June 2017. The 14 recommendations from ACCOUNT were included in the final text of this Law. Equally important was ACCOUNT’s involvement in training and development of plans of integrity for 1091 public institutions, out of which 659 were successfully completed and submitted to the RS Ministry of Justice. ACCOUNT staff also conducted the free legal aid training for 11 public servants from RS Center for Free Legal Aid on protection of whistleblowers grounded on the RS Whistleblowing Law.

In the Federation of BiH, ACCOUNT's technical assistance to the FBiH Ministry of Justice was directed to development of the FBiH Whistleblowers Law with replications from the RS good practices. This kind of inter-entity cooperation is quite rare in BiH, and a credit for that goes to ACCOUNT.

In Public procurement sector, ACCOUNT made standing arrangement with Public procurement Agency. Memorandum of Cooperation with Public procurement Agency on technical support of ACCOUNT to the implementation of anti-corruption activities in the PP sector and advocating amendments to the Public Procurement Law was signed on December 8, 2017. ACCOUNT also established close cooperation with the Council of Ministers’ Work Group for amending the PP Law. Increased involvement regarding anti-corruption legislation finally resulted with adoption of ACCOUNT’s amendments on eleven (11) Articles of the PP Law, by Council of Ministers’ Work group. These amendments were officially included in the Draft law on amending PP law, pending adoption by Parliamentary Assembly of BiH. 6

Bearing in mind that the cooperation between civil society, public institutions, governments and judiciary is a key for improving legal framework as well as efficiency of implementation of PP Law, ACCOUNT in Y3 launched special training program for judges and prosecutors. The focus of trainings’ were the issue of corruption in public procurement area, in order to identify and prosecute the perpetrators of these crimes as efficiently as possible.

In the healthcare sector, ACCOUNT developed and put in use the model Rulebook on anti- corruption policies and procedures in 35 healthcare institutions and public clinics in 4 cantons in the Federation of BiH.

To help strengthen the anti-corruption culture and increase intolerance to corruption among youth, ACCOUNT noted successful introduction of anti-corruption pilot classes in 90 elementary and secondary schools in 6 cantons in the Federation of BiH, and Trebinje regions in the RS entity and Brčko District, which involved more than 1500 students. This in-school anti-corruption education model was highly ranked during the UNODC‘s first cycle review for BiH on GRECO’s ratified recommendations and was highly noted by the attendees from Serbia, Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro.

ACCOUNT’s focus in the Employment sector had been on advocating for the harmonization of legislation, regulations and bylaws governing employment, and advocating for the implementation of anti-corruption procedures, including those governing the formation in public institutions of independent bodies such as commissions and committees. During the lifetime of the Activity, Sectoral group Employment conducted serious of advocacy activities in order to establish cooperation with anticorruption bodies on cantonal level, municipalities across the country, and public institutions and companies, all with the one main goal – to introduce the model of the anti- corruption Rulebook on recruitment in public sector i.e. Rulebook on conducting oral interviews and scoring candidates in employment in administrative bodies. The ACCOUNT’s Rulebook on Employment was adopted by 2 municipalities (Živinice and ) and accepted by 3 cantonal governments (Posavina Canton, Ze-Do Canton, Canton 10), pending final adoption.

Forwarding assistance to the lover levels of government, new anti-corruption initiatives have been launched in the project sectors at the cantonal level, through tripartite MoUs between ACCOUNT, APIK and anti-corruption teams in 8 cantons, which have been in force since January 2017. Based on that, ACCOUNT provided technical assistance to the Anti – corruption team of the Government of Zenica-Doboj Canton to (i) develop the Anti – corruption Strategy and its Action plan; (ii) introduce anti-corruption Rulebook in the public healthcare institutions; and (iii) train public servants on development of plans of integrity. ACCOUNT also provided technical assistance to the Anti-corruption teams of the Government of , Una-Sana Canton, and Posavina Canton to train public servants on development of plans of integrity, as well as to develop new Anti-corruption strategy (Sarajevo Canton).

The small-grant mechanism proved efficient for selecting the lead organizations in the Activity sectors and development of anti-corruption action plans at the local level, which have strong result- oriented advocacy programs and concepts to the anti-corruption processes, with increased inputs from the anti-corruption CSOs. Strengthening capacities of local governance on development of anti-corruption policy documents, namely the anti-corruption action plans in the FBiH as well as the plans of integrity in the RS entity, resulted with the accomplishment rate that increased the target of the MEL Plan Indicator.

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During the Lifetime of Activity, ACCOUNT submitted a total number of 124 policy proposals to executive governments and parliaments with CSOs input:

Public procurement Law, 3 WBP Laws (state level, RS and FBiH entity), 30 Anti-corruption strategies at local level (municipalities and cities), 2 anti-corruption strategies at cantonal level (Sarajevo Canton, Ze-Do Canton), Anti-corruption strategy of RS entity 2018-2022, State-level Anti-corruption strategy, 46 Plans of integrity in RS entity’ municipalities, 5 Rulebooks on employment in public sector (two municipalities, three cantons), 35 anti - corruption Rulebooks in the public healthcare institutions (in four cantons)

Monitoring activities were proved as a very productive tool for detecting and presenting the level of corruption in public sector and how public institutions are dealing with the corruption and anti-corruption reforms. Through four (4) cycles of the sub-award program a total number of 33 CSOs i.e. 18 Monitoring teams in five selected sectors had been engaging in watch-dog activities, and total number of 21 monitoring reports were conducted.

ACCOUNT’s strategically targeted media campaign resulted with a great achievement and increased investigative media reporting on corruption. During the life time of Activity, Online Magazine Žurnal produced and published a total number of 1355 investigative reports i.e. 1329 articles and 26 TV documentaries. Žurnal and its stories had been awarded for several times:

• EU award for the Best investigative film in 2016 - TV Documentary “Master from the Underground”, authors: Avdo Avdic and Davor Obrdalj, (May 2017) • EU award for the story of exceptional quality in 2016 - TV documentary “Terma”, author Amarildo Gutic, (May 2017) • Journalists Association of BiH Annual Award for the Best Newsroom (collective prize) (April 2019) • Foundation “Dusko Jovanovic”, Podgorica/Montenegro Award for investigative reporting - Affair “Diploma”, authors Avdo Avdic and Azra Omerovic, (May 2019) • EU award for the Best investigative story in 2018 – TV Documentary “State against David”, author Amarildo Gutic (September 2019)

“The story Terma offered by Amarildo Gutić speaks about the dark side of the local politics – corruption, in an interesting, journalistically attractive fashion of depicting privatisation machinations in RS. The first prize winners, Avdo Avdić and Davor Obrdalj, portrayed a journey into the heart of the local arrogant, irresponsible and unscrupulous politics”, pointed out Boro Kontić, a Chairman of the Jury on Award Ceremony in May 2017.

In order to increase the number of media outlets handling corruption in a fact-based manner and underwritten by the required level of knowledge and expertise, ACCOUNT’s Media Pool had been launched in 2017. Trough six grant cycles, a total number of 20 Media outlets were awarded. During the lifetime of the Activity, members of ACCOUNT’s Media pool produced and published 375 investigative reports on corruption.

The www.interview.ba on-line media portal, which was launched in 2016, offered a unique format of interviews with informative content, which covered various issues on prevention and fight against corruption, with themes for interviews selected based on the findings from the sector groups and project teams involved in monitoring and investigative reporting, among others. Over the course 8

of the Activity, interview.ba conducted over 504 interviews with the major anti-corruption actors, victims of corruption and whistleblowers, women candidates, and other key players of political and social changes in BiH, growing into a respectful social media portal over the years. After the Interview.ba received the fixed obliged grant (FOG) for investigative reporting, it investigated and published 5 investigative reports on cases of corruption and thus become a member of the ACCOUNT’s Media Pool.

On the occasion of the marking of the Anti-Corruption Weeks, ACCOUNT published one print edition (December 2016) and 5 numbers of online edition (December 2018) of newspaper "Affair" “Affair” contained the best articles produced by Online Magazine Žurnal and members of ACCOUNT’s Media pool.

One of the key mechanisms for preventing, detecting and sanctioning corruption is through citizens’ reports of corruption cases, who are in most cases afraid of retribution if do so. Since 2012, when the first legal aid team was established, 75 cases of corruption were reported to the ACCOUNT’s Free Legal Aid Team, out of which 47 were qualified to have elements of corruption and 9 were with positive outcomes.

A new intervention that was launched within ACCOUNT in the Year 3 was Legal Support to Women Candidates at 2018 October Elections, the first of this kind in BiH. This activity worked to ensure: (i) minimization of risks for women candidates reporting cases of violation in electoral processes, and (ii) protection of women candidates from these risks. Over the course of the activity, three women candidates asked for free legal aid for protection of their rights post elections. The free legal aid page was visited 386 times, and 20 candidates contacted the Center for Women Rights via e-mail or telephone.

SUMMARY OF PROBLEMS/OBSTACLES ENCOUNTERED

ACCOUNT implemented the activities across all the components in a context influenced by the number of external factors, namely the opposition of the legislative bodies to support anti - corruption reform processes more efficiently. The political tensions in the Federation of BiH postponed the consideration of the draft FBiH Law on Whistleblowers Protection. While ACCOUNT was eager to offer technical assistance in development of the FBiH Law on Protection of Whistleblowers, because of a legal vacuum at the FBiH level, still pending is adoption of the legal framework that regulate the protection of whistleblowers in this entity.

Additionally, after the months of advocating for proposed changes and addendums to the BiH Whistleblowers Protection Law, which were considered by the BiH House of Representatives (HoR) in the first reading, members of HoR opposed them in the second reading. No matter how discouraging this might be, ACCOUNT continued to advocate forbetter protection of whistleblowers at the state level, by continuing to work on improving this law, and preparing new addendums. One of the most obvious examples of political obstruction of anti-corruption reforms was the situation with amending the Public Procurement Law. In 2015, despite advocacy efforts and promises from the representatives from the political parties with whom discussions were held, only the Caucus of the Democratic Front supported the proposed ACCOUNT’s amendments on PP Law. A discouraging fact was that, besides the political will and efforts of Democratic Front to incorporate amendments on the parliamentary procedure, the ACCOUNT amendments were not on the Parliament agenda. Instead, the revised version of amendments was sent to the Parliament

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procedure. However, even this revised version of amendments was not discussed on the parliamentary agenda. In July 2018, ACCOUNT’s revised amendments on PP Law, and amendments on 11 Articles of the PP Law was adopted by Council of Ministers’ Work group for amending the PP Law and official included in the Draft of the amending PP Law (July 2018). But, this policy was not introduced to further parliamentary procedure until now i.e. even after 18 months of submission. The similar lack of political will and accountability was noticed in governments and public institutions on lower-levels. Cantonal as well as municipal public institutions and public companies refused to adopt and implement ACCOUNT’s Rulebook on employment, justifying their’ decisions with lack of legislation framework at higher levels of government.

On the introduction of anti-corruption policies and procedures in the healthcare sector, while introduction of anti-corruption Rulebooks in FBiH healthcare institutions is regulated through internal acts, in the RS entity this process is much slower and requires legislative solutions. The Rulebooks’ effects on healthcare system in selected institutions were not as fast as we would think and their implications on patients (i.e. bribe, long waiting lists, misbehavior, etc.) or improved procedures (e.g. public procurement, education, employment, corruption reporting, etc.) have not yet be visible to the extent possible.

The political parties showed the same resistance to support a greater number of women candidates for leading positions in the government structures, which resulted in the lack of interests of women candidates to push towards their legal rights and legacies for future women candidates in the electoral processes. The post-election statistics appeared quite discouraging showing that out of 223 seats in parliaments’ only 44 seats or 20% were elected to women which is 6% less than in the previous mandate.

Continuing to track the progress in the free legal aid component, noting is an increased eroding of trust in justice system (more than 300 cases in the Prosecutor's Office of BiH for Organized Crime, Economic Crime and Corruption were reported unsolved in 2017) and complicated procedures for reporting corruption, because of which citizens feel reluctant to report corruption. There are also a lot of examples of other actions, when it comes to protection of human rights (including public protest in the RS entity, or most recent negative trends and acts within the High Justice and Prosecutor Council) that continued to undermine public trust in law enforcement institutions at all levels such as the police, courts, and the public prosecution at the sustainable level. Given that, and the fact that the free legal aid component officially ended in April 2019, the number of reports of corruption received by ACCOUNT’s Free Legal Aid Team was below the projected target.

One of the problems with which ACCOUNT also had been faced was a gross violation of the Freedom of Access to Information Act. This problem was particularly evident in the work of monitoring teams e.g. more than 60% of public institutions and public companies at cantonal and municipal level refused to deliver data and information on employment procedures in public sector.

Attempts to discredit Online Magazine Žurnal and its journalists, as well as members of ACCOUNT's Media pool had been continuous during the lifetime of the activity. Moreover, several serious attacks on journalists were reported, as is it presented in the table below:

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Threats and attacks on journalists of Magazine Žurnal and members of ACCOUNT’ Media pool

Nermin Dzafic, a bodyguard for the Prosecutor General of Prosecutor’s Office of BiH Gordana Tadic threatened journalist Avdo Avdic after a press conference held on August 29, 2017 Dog Asylum Coordinator in Praca, Hamdo Alic threatened Journalist Azra Omerovic in October 08, 2017, after her reporting non-transparent expenditure of public funds Dragan Corokalo director of companies Kozaraputevi (eng. Kozara roads) and Prijedorputevi (eng. roads) threatened journalist Žana Gauk in July 2018, after her articles on corruption in public procurement FC Željezničar fans and FC Željezničar lawyer Amar Bajramović threatened journalist of Inforadar Almedin Šišić on December 19 and 20, 2018. Info Radar wrote about organized crime in FC Željezničar After articles about cantonal Prime-minister Elmedin Konakovic’s connection with convicted criminals, one of the criminals Amir Pašic Faco posted a photo with a sniper on his FB page, threatening Zurnal journalists Amarildo Gutic and Avdo Avdic Mladjo Zelenovic of , who is on an international arrest warrant of the RS Ministry of Internal Affairs, in March 2018, attacked and threatened the journalist of "Direkt portal Milanka Kovacevic. This was not his first attack on Milanka Kovacevic. He did the same in 2016. Some police officers advised journalist Milanka Kovacevic “not to go alone in the dark”, “beware” and “look at what is under the car” after a series of articles on crime and corruption by Zarko Laketa of the Trebinje Police Directorate On August 26, 2018, Marko Colic and Nedeljko Dukic, boxers from Banja Luka, beat the Vladimir Kovacevic journalist of Gerila portal and BN TV with metal bats;

In March 28, 2019, the president of SDA Novi Grad (the ruling political party), Huso Ćesir physically attacked Žurnal’s photographer Adi Kebo and tried to break his camera.

Corruption in BiH is a pressing issue, as it permeates both the public and private sector and hinders the country’s progress. Though significant efforts were made to address corruption in place, overlaps in providing anti-corruption measures by various international and local organizations sometimes create confusion on the counterparts’ side which in return affects the efficiency on the field work.

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KEY ACTIVITIES ACCOUNT stayed with the all year of performance in work plan and achieved significant results in anti-corruption legislative reform, in particular in the area of whistleblowers protection at all levels, monitoring and investigative reporting. This report describes the key activities, and summarizes the major accomplishments and results achieved in the following four project components including results for all of the activities under the associate award. Also this report section describes progress and results that synthesizes achievements of all organizations that contributed towards program objectives.

Component 1 Public advocacy on selected anti-corruption legislation

Strategic Objective 1 Anticipated Results 1.1.CSO recommendations to improve implementation of the state-level Whistleblower Protection Law taken into consideration by Increase CSO involvement and input government regarding anti-corruption legislation, in 1.2.CSO inputs for passage of the entity-level particular in the areas of whistleblower whistleblower protection laws taken into protection and public procurement consideration by government 1.3.CSO recommendations to improve implementation of the Public Procurement Law taken into consideration by government

Activity 1.1: Public Advocacy on Whistleblower Protection

The main goal of this activity was to increase involvement of the ACCOUNT’s Whistleblower Sector Group (WSG) in public advocacy for development and implementation of whistleblowing legislations at all levels.

Whistleblowing Legislation Key results Concepts Improved • Assessed status of whistleblowing legislation framework Working to strengthen whistleblowing • Assessed corruption and other risks in legislations at all levels over the course of 4 whistleblowing legislations and provided years, although the Federation of BiH level recommendations for improvements still lags behind the state and Republika • Developed and updated whistleblowing Srpska entity in acceptance of the legislations at all levels whistleblowing law, the whistleblowing • Developed and conducted advocacy campaigns sector saw positive changes, and conditions on promotion of protection of whistleblowers for harmonization of whistleblowers laws • Developed and launched two e-modules for continue to progress during the state-level civil servants on plan of integrities ACCOUNT’s project. All this positioned and protection of whistleblowers ACCOUNT highly on the anti-corruption • Developed a new Handbook on Protection of agenda and whistleblowers protection at all Whistleblowers aligned with the BiH Law on levels of the government, while maintaining Protection of Whistleblowers legacies in whistleblowing legislation concepts at all levels.

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• Develop the new Handbook on Protection of Whistleblowers in line with the BiH Whistleblowing Law • Conducted intensive public advocacy campaign

In order to increase protection of whistleblowers, ACCOUNT worked to amend the BIH whistleblowing law and develop entity laws on whistleblowers.

The BiH Whistleblowing Legislation. Based on detailed assessment of legal framework on protection of whistleblowers in the BiH Institutions, ACCOUNT staff produced recommendations for the BiH House of Representatives to improve the legislation concept and provided amendments to the BiH Law on Protection of Whistleblowers. INFOHOUSE and Transparency International worked in tandem to develop these amendments, with some prior support from USAID/SGIP.

While the 5 consolidated amendments to the BiH Law on Whistleblowers Protection were first cleared by the Constitutional-Legal Committee of the BiH House of Representatives (HoR), the plenary of the BiH HoR considered the Proposed Changes and Addendums to this Law in the first reading, members of the BiH HoR opposed them in the second reading.

Prior to proposing amendments, USAID/SGIP and ACCOUNT jointly organized the Assessment of Corruption Risks Training for selected CSOs from ACCOUNT Network to discuss standards for provision of amendments to the anti-corruption laws. Also, the training emphasized corruption risks in the legislative procedures, with emphasis on the BiH Whistleblowers Law and role of B&H Agency for prevention of corruption.

To increase the understanding of anti-corruption CSOs on advocacy principles and how they work in parliamentary practices and procedures, INFOHOUSE prepared the Publication titled “All you ever wanted to know about the Parliament, but was afraid to ask…” This Publication is available at http://infohouse.ba/publikacije-clanci/item/135-sve-sto-ste-ikada-htjeli-znati-o-parlamentu-a-niste- smjeli-pitati

Anti-corruption agency. During the final year and a half, the project focused on strengthening the role of BiH Anti-Corruption Agency (APIK) tasked to provide protective status to whistleblowers and in partnership with APIK developed and put in use the content for two online modules for education of public servants in 72 state-level institutions on (i) development of plans of integrity, and (ii) protection of whistleblowers in the BiH public institutions, which is posted on the Anti-Corruption Agency’s website (www.apik.ba) with a sub-link to http://obuke.apik.ba The e-course is designed in a way which makes it accessible to a large number of civil servants. At the state-level institutions, these numbers range between 23,000 and 26,000, to half a million at the local-level institutions. The official launch of the e-modules was announced at the Press Conference, which APIK and INFOHOUSE conducted on February 27, 2019. For that, a short video was filmed to describe each step in the education process. More can be seen at: https://www.facebook.com/FondacijaINFOHOUSE/videos/557959711383019/

In parallel, the new Handbook on Protection of Whistleblowers in the state-level institutions was 13

developed http://infohouse.ba/images/PRIRUCNIK_za%20zastitu%20prijavitelja%20korupcije.pdf in support from ACCOUNT, appointing APIK as a legacy organization to receive custody of the publication and to continue to disseminate it after ACCOUNT’s end in 2019.

FBiH Law on Protection of Whistleblowers. ACCOUNT assisted the FBiH Ministry of Justice to develop the Draft FBiH Law on Whistleblowers Protection, which was passed by the FBiH House of Representatives (HoR) session held on June 20, 2018. The draft Law was passed in first reading and the FBiH Government directed to consider and incorporate comments and recommendations into the proposal for the second reading, pending adoption.

While one of the key project legacies for the FBiH counterparts is development of a new draft of FBiH Law on Protection of Whistleblowers, ACCOUNT went further and in partnership with the representatives of the FBiH Ministry of Justice and Lucid Linx developed the Instruction on Proceedings in Corruption Reporting and Protection of Whistleblowers, grounded on the FBiH Law on Protection of Whistleblowers, prior to its adoption.

RS Law on Protection of Whistleblowers. ACCOUNT was directly involved in draft of the RS Law on Whistleblowers Protection as well as in four public discussions, with adoption of this Law in June 2017. The main recommendations from ACCOUNT were included in the final text, including: the 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.

The RS Ministry of Justice accepted fourteen (14) out of thirty (30) comments/recommendations provided by ACCOUNT, grounded on the state Law of Protection of Whistleblowers, and good practices from the Council of Europe Resolution on protection of whistleblowers 1729 (2010), noting that the assignment of “protected” status of whistleblowers, at the sustainable level is still lacking in this law, and that it needs to be improved.

More information on adoption of the RS Law on Protection of Whistleblowers is available at: http://www.vladars.net/sr-SP-Cyrl/Vlada/Ministarstva/mpr/media/vijesti/Pages/Usvojeni-prijedlozi- Krivi%C4%8Dnog-zakonika-i-Zakona-o-za%C5%A1titi-lica-koja-prijavl%D1%98uju-korupciju.aspx

Testimony: The experience of Spomenka Mekic from Banja Luka, in the RS, is the case in point. In 2012, Spomenka had worked for six years at the RS Protection Fund (which processes insurance claims the entity Insurance Agency) when she discovered that the Fund director at that time had been falsifying court fees in financial reports. She raised the issue with the director and later reported it to the police.

Soon after that, her troubles began: her salary was reduced, she was harassed, and in 2016 she was abruptly terminated from her job. Pull quote: People who, like me, are brave enough to report illegal activities are rare, because they are afraid of the retribution I was exposed to. I believe that with this whistleblower law in place, citizens’ working rights will be protected.

Whistleblowing Sector Group (WSG) Through the Small Grant Program, which was launched in October 2015, ACCOUNT supported the number of anti-corruption CSOs to form the Whistleblowing Sector Group (WSG) and competitively selected the leading organizations to conduct advocacy campaigns on protection of whistleblowers under the state and entity-level whistleblowing laws. The Small Grant Program had three rounds, and as a result of the call for proposals in the first round, in April 2016, USAID approved Youth Centre Trebinje (OCT) as a leading organization

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of the WSG to implement a small grant program tiled Whistleblowing Laws: “Success of Campaign – Defeat of corruption!“ The 2016 impact survey on the effects of implementation of the BiH Law on Protection of Whistleblowers, which OCT conducted on the sample of 231 employees from 35 out of 69 public institutions at the state level (6.1% employees of 50.7% institutions) showed that, though mandatory, only 40 % of these institutions, had adopted policies and procedures for protection of whistleblowers - making them tolerant to corruption.

In December 2016, in order to mark the International Anti-corruption Day, OCT facilitated the regional ICT-based Conference on Whistleblowers. Beside the U.S. Ambassador, participants included representatives from ACCOUNT’s CSOs and regional partners, all levels of government and the international community to discuss the increased role of CSOs and media in promotion and protection of whistleblowers. The Conference presented regional experiences in Ambassador Maureen Cormack speaks at ACCOUNT’s Annual implementation of best practices for Whistleblowing Conference in Sarajevo, December 14, 2016 protection of whistleblowers.

In the second and third rounds of the Small Grants Program (2017-2019), USAID approved JUSTICIA from Srebrenik, which was competitively selected as a new lead organization of the WSG, to continue to work on strengthening whistleblowing concepts at all levels, with the focus on:

(i) assessment of corruption and other risks in the BiH Law on Protection of Whistleblowers; (ii) development of amendments to the BiH whistleblowing law; (iii) development of the draft FBiH Law on Protection of Whistleblowers; and (iv) promotion of implementation of the RS Whistleblowing Law.

In 2017, JUSTICIA conducted the repeated policy survey in 60 state institutions, which showed a significant progress in constituency of anti- corruption policies and procedures in the public institutions aligned with the BiH Law on Whistleblowers Protection. The findings from the survey were reported during the major Whistleblowing Press Conference, which JUSTICIA conducted in partnership with the state Anti- corruption Agency (APIK) and IP Representatives from JUSTICIA, APIK and INFOHOUSE INFOHOUSE. address the media at the Whistleblowing Press Conference

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Whistleblowing Advocacy Campaign. The WSG was at the forefront and facilitated 4 major advocacy campaigns on protection of whistleblowers under the state and entity-level whistleblowing law in 2017 and 2018.

The whistleblowers protection campaign, which was organized to mark the anti- corruption week in December 2017, made available campaign material "Break the glass-in case of an emergency" in 43 public institutions in 20 cities.

Break the glass and blow the whistle…

Another major advocacy campaign on protection of whistleblowers (December 2018), which JUSTICIA orchestrated in partnership with the RS Ministry of Justice under the slogan “The fight against corruption begins with…” included design and distribution of promo material to 55 municipalities, 41 government institutions and 27 public institutions in 9 cities/towns, as well as 4 street actions in the Republika Srpska entity.

Whistleblowing legacies. On June 21, 2019, JUSTICIA facilitated the final meeting with the members of the WSG Sector Group to discuss the key results, impact and future recommendations. The meeting recapped the main points of development and implementation of the whistleblowing legislations including regulatory gaps that were identified in the whistleblowing sector during the length of the project. During the meeting, the whistleblowing CSOs supported formation of informal whistleblowing network, once ACCOUNT ends. INFOHOUSE is appointed as a legacy organization of the future work of this network. At the end of the meeting, one specific 16

recommendation proposed the inclusion of whistleblowers in future advocacy work in the whistleblowing sector.

Activity 1.2: Public Advocacy on Public Procurement The main goal of this activity was contribute to increasing CSOs involvement and input regarding anti-corruption legislation in the area of public procurement, advocacy, and promotion. Through the Life of Activity, ACCOUNT activities were focused on three main aspects: i ) Improving Public procurement legislation ii) Raising awareness of government and business sector about the importance of transparent public procurement and of applying anti-corruption legislation, and reporting on public procurement processes and the consequences of lack of transparency in public spending iii) Strengthening cooperation between anti-corruption CSOs, public institutions and stakeholders

Public procurement Key result Legislation Concept • Assessed status of PP legislation i.e. indicated key Working to improve Public problems and defined possible solutions procurement legislation through • Conducted advocacy campaign for adoption 18 amending Public Procurement Law, amendments on PP Law implementation of Public • Conducted an Analysis of ACCOUNT’s procurement Law at all levels and by amendments to the PP Law and compliance with all actors, identification and EU Directive prosecution of abuses and corruption • Developed and conducted advocacy campaigns in public procurement procedures. on importance of transparent PP All these tasks positioned • Updated amendments on PP Law ACCOUNT highly on the anti- • ACCOUNT’s amendments on 11 Articles of PP corruption agenda Law was adopted by Council of Ministers’ Work group • Developed and conducted special education program for judiciary on corruption in PP • Developed a Handbook for prosecutors and judges

The 18 amendments to the Public Procurement Law (PPL) were jointly developed in 2015 by ACCOUNT, Tender Association, Transparency International BiH, Open Society Fund, and Association of Employers of BiH. Despite advocacy efforts and promises from the representatives from the political parties with whom discussions were held, only one political party (the Caucus of the Democratic Front) supported the proposed amendments, therefore they were not on the Parliament agenda. Due to the fact that it had become obvious that local authorities were not willing to accept the amendments as proposed by ACCOUNT, while they claim to be interested in improving the legislation and practice in the PP area, ACCOUNT activities were diverted on defining a new ways how to overcome shortcomings, including common activities with stakeholders on the improvement of the situation. In 2017, IP CRMA conducted in-depth analysis of ACCOUNT's amendments to the PPL and compliance with EU directives. The analysis included a comparison of the PPL in the context of EU

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Directives. The emphasis was on legal mechanisms and institutions of the proposed piece of legislation that were subject of the ACCOUNT’s amendments. The analysis emphasizes that adoption of a new PPL should be favoured and proposed, which seems to be a more adequate approach in relation to amendments to the existing one, as well as that the existing PP laws of other neighbouring countries (Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia) can be used as a model to define solutions. The next step was to strengthen cooperation with key partners and stakeholders, at first line with the Public procurement Agency (Memoranda of Cooperation with Public procurement Agency on technical support of ACCOUNT to the implementation of anti-corruption activities in the PP sector and advocating amendments to the PPL is signed on December 8, 2017, by Eldin Karic, ACCOUNT’s CoP and Đenan Salčin, Director of the PPA), and to establish close cooperation with the Council of Ministers’ Work Group for amending the PPL. ACCOUNT’s increased involvement regarding anti-corruption legislation finally resulted with adoption of ACCOUNT’s amendments on eleven (11) Articles of the PPL, by Council of Ministers’ Work group.

ACCOUNT’s amendments on the Public procurement Law accepted by Council of Ministers’ Work Group (July 2018) Article 2. Definitions of terms Article 10a. Exemptions for Public Procurement Contracts Article 10f. Special exemptions for contracts which have been declared secret or must be accompanied by special security measures Article 13a. Public Procurement Officer Article 17. Conditions for initiating a public procurement procedure Article 52. Disqualification based on conflict of interest and corruption Article 74. Notice of contract award Article 75. Report on the public procurement procedure Article 88. Competitive request for the submission of bids Article 115. Administrative dispute Article 121e. Penalties

Special training program for judges and prosecutors

Bearing in mind that the cooperation with judiciary is a key for improving legal framework as well as efficiency of implementation of Law, ACCOUNT launched special training program for judges and prosecutors. Trainings were launched in cooperation with USAID Project Justice. This was the first time since the adoption of the PPL in 2014 that the representatives of the judiciary and the representatives of the Public Procurement Agency met to discuss the challenges they face on a daily basis and possible forms of cooperation. The focus of trainings’ were the issue of corruption in public procurement, in order to identify and prosecute the perpetrators of these crimes as efficiently as possible. Two trainings were held during the Y3, and one in Y4. The program was designed to cover two main subjects: • Efficient implementation of legislation and identification of corruption” • Launching misdemeanor/ Elements of criminal charges/ Cooperation between Public procurement Agency and prosecutors

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In July 2019, ACCOUNT published the “Handbook for prosecutors and judges: Corruption Risks in Public Procurement procedures”, as one of the ACCOUNT’s key legacies within PP sector. The Handbook provides valuable information: Overview of legal and institutional framework for conducting PP; List of corruption indicators for each single phase of PP proceeding (planning, announcement, evaluation, contracting and implementation); Examples of Court’s practice and verdicts, including all levels of practice – from Supreme courts to Municipal courts, as well as experiences from the neighbor countries Croatia and Serbia; Detection, investigation and proving of abuse of power as a crime; Overview of most common problems and challenges facing prosecution of abuses in PP; Recommendations for improving the fight against corruption in PP.

“The Handbook represents a significant step forward in researching of problematic judiciary responses to abuses in public procurement sector. The publication provides a numerous information on the legal framework and types of procedures, as well as represents a solid basis for an effective fight against abuse in public procurement. Publication can help the judiciary to fulfill its tasks” (Mrs. Milica Pranjic, legal expert)

ACCOUNT delivered the Handbook to 54 judiciary institutions across the country. The Handbook is also available for free on ACCOUNT’s web page (link: http://skr.rs/1CM )

Public procurement Sector Group

In the Y1 and Y2, through the 1st round of the Small Grant Program, the Association Tender, a leading organization in the PP Sector Group provided a number of advocacy activities. The highlight was a Annual Conference on PP in BiH, held on April 2017, in Parliamentary Assembly in Sarajevo. The event gathered more than 100 stakeholders: CSO’s, members of GOPAC group, parliamentarians, contracting authorities, tenderers, decision makers, representatives of PP Agency, Procurement Annual Conference on PP in BiH, April 2017 Review Body, Court of BiH, Ministries of Finance at all levels, APIK and other institutions relevant to PP area, as well as representatives of international organizations and embassies. In the 2nd and 3rd round of the Small Grants Program, received applications did not meet the selection criteria. Therefore, in the overall reorganization of ACCOUNT’s work in the PP sector, advocacy grant was not awarded in this sector. The work was organized through a technical assistance and provided by selected experts, including actively engagement of IP CRMA on implementation of activities in PP sector.

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Activity 1.3: Public Advocacy on Healthcare

The main goal of this activity was to increase involvement of the ACCOUNT’s Healthcare Sector Group (HSG) to advocate for introduction of anti-corruption policies and procedures (Rulebooks) in the public healthcare sector. Healthcare Anti-corruption Policies Key results and Procedures (Rulebooks) Strengthen • Developed anti-corruption Rulebook model Over the course of the project, • Anti-corruption policies and procedures ACCOUNT worked on development and introduced in 43 healthcare institutions in 4 introduction of improved anti-corruption cantons policies and procedures (Rulebooks) in • “Blowing the whistle” and free legal aid the 43 cantonal-based public healthcare mechanism included in the Rulebook model institutions and clinics, appointing them as • Provided intensive public advocacy campaign legacy organizations to receive custody of on corruption risks and protection of patients’ the Rulebooks and to continue to rights disseminate and update them after ACCOUNT’s close.

The anti-corruption Rulebooks introduce measures that deal with the issues concerning corruption in procurement, employment, (long) waiting lists, medical examinations / health services, bribes, irregular employment, among others. A new “blowing the whistle” mechanism and reporting corruption in healthcare institutions were also included in the improved anti corruption procedures. Over the course of the project, ACCOUNT developed and put in use the model Rulebook on anti-corruption policies and procedures in 35 healthcare institutions and public clinics in 4 cantons in the Federation of BiH, with increased CSOs’ inputs.

Anti-corruption Cross-sector Cooperation. To raise public awareness on and increase CSOs’ involvement in introduction of anti-corruption polices in the healthcare sector, ACCOUNT cross- linked its activities and on June 9, 2016, organized a Conference on anti-corruption measures in education in the healthcare sector. The Conference discussed major issues and risks of corruption in these sectors.

The Conference was organized in partnership with the Faculty of Medicine in Sarajevo, and two leading organizations from ACCOUNT in the education and healthcare sectors. The opening remarks were addressed by Peter Duffy, the former USAID Mission Director. Conference on anti-corruption measures in the areas of education and healthcare, Sarajevo, June 9, 2016

During the opening remarks, Peter Duffy expressed his concern over the presence of corruption in the education and healthcare sectors, as well as optimism that this problem can only be solved with joint efforts. “USAID will, of course, always be involved and support people who are fighting corruption,” said Mr.Duffy.

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Healthcare Sector Group (HSG)

Through the Small Grant Program, in April 2015, ACCOUNT formed the Healthcare Sector Group (HSG) and competitively selected two leading organizations: Initiative and Civic Action Sarajevo (ICVA) and Stop Mobbing Trebinje to receive small grants to work with the selected public healthcare institutions in both the Federation of BiH and the Republika Srpska entities on introduction of harmonized Rulebook for Prevention of Corruption.

In parallel, ACCOUNT staff worked to establish standing partnerships between these two leading organizations, anti-corruption teams and legislation and executive agencies at all levels to maintain a dialogue on the problem of corruption in the healthcare sector. Based on that, on November 24, 2016, ACCOUNT and the Anti-corruption Team of the Government of Sarajevo Canton signed the Memorandum of Understanding on ACCOUNT’s technical assistance in implementation of the Anti-corruption Action Plan in healthcare and education institutions in Sarajevo Canton.

After pilot work with selected public healthcare institutions in both the Federation of BiH and Republika Srpska entities, including Sarajevo Canton (9 healthcare centers, 2 hospitals) and in selected healthcare institutions (27) in the regions of Eastern Herzegovina (Trebinje, Bileća, Gacko, , Ljubinja, Berkovići) and Old Herzegovina (Foča, Višegrad, Novo Goražde, Čajniče, ) at the beginning of the project in 2015, the process of acceptance of these policies and procedures in the Republika Srpska was opposed by the selected public healthcare institutions, as lacking legislative ground to do so, because of which, in 2016-2019, ACCOUNT rolled out this activity only to the public healthcare institutions in the Federation of BiH and worked with the selected public institutions in Zenica-Doboj Canton, Bosnia-Podrinje Canton and .

The General Hospital in Sarajevo was the first to adopt the Anti-corruption Rulebook at the Managing Board session on November 23, 2017.

At the General Hospital with Zlatko Kravić, Director and Ranko Čović, Head of Quality Department during the formation of anti-corruption info-corner…

After the model of anti-corruption policies and procedures was successfully piloted in the selected healthcare institutions in Sarajevo Canton, the Initiatives and Civil Action (ICVA)/Sarajevo was repeatedly selected in the second and third rounds of the small grant programs (2017-2019), as the lead organization to follow on and replicate the Anti-corruption Rulebook model in other public healthcare institutions in Zenica-Doboj Canton, Bosnia-Podrinje Canton and Tuzla Canton. The systematic approach piloted in this model is meant to lead to further strengthening anti- corruption measures in healthcare institutions in other cantons. The introduction of anti-corruption model Rulebook was divided into the following steps/phases.

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(i) capacity building of healthcare workers on content of anti-corruption polices and procedures (Rulebooks); (ii) presentation of anti-corruption healthcare Rulebook template (iii) work on adjustments to the Rulebook through forum-type of discussions with healthcare workers; and (iv) organization of Final Anti-corruption Forum on main project results and impact.

Status of Anti-corruption Rulebooks in Selected Healthcare Institutions:

The Table below reflects the status of the Rulebooks, after they were introduced to the public healthcare institutions in all four cantons.

Name of Public Healthcare Institutions Anti- Public Anti-corruption Rule corruption Discussions Model accepted Rule Model held Submitted Sarajevo Canton Opća bolnica/General Clinic Sarajevo X X X Ten Public Healthcare Institutions in X X X KS/Dom zdravlja KS (Centar, Stari grad, Novi grad, , Ilidža, Vogošća, Hadžići, Ilijaš, Trnovo) Zenica-Doboj Canton Zavod zdravstvenog osiguranja ZDK X X X Kantonalna klinička bolnica Zenica X X X Zavod za bolesti ovisnosti ZDK X X X Zavod za medicinu rada i sportsku medicinu X X X ZDK JU Dom zdravlja X X X Ju Dom zdravlja Zenica X X X JU Dom zdravlja Žepče X X X JU Dom zdravlja Zavidovići X X X JU Dom zdravlja Vareš X X X DZ , DZ , DZ Breza, DZ X - - , DZ Usora, Dnevna bolnica Doboj- jug, Opća bolnica Tešanj i DZ Tešanj Bosnia-Podrinje Canton - Goražde Zavod zdravstvenog osiguranja BPK X X X JU Dom zdravlja Prača X X X JU Dom zdravlja Goražde X X X Ju Dom zdravlja Foča X X X Zavod za javno zdravstvo BPK X X X Kantonalna bolnica Goražde X - - Tuzla Canton JU UKC Tuzla X X X JZU Dom zdravlja X X Pending JZU Dom zdravlja Čelić X X X JZU Dom zdravlja Doboj-istok X X Pending 22

JZU Dom zdravlja Tuzla X X Panding JZU Dom zdravlja Banovići X X Pending ZZO TK X X X JZU Dom zdravlja Gračanica X X X Zavod za javno zdravstvo TK X X X JZU Dom zdravlja X X Pending

Healthcare Advocacy Campaign. To ensure greater transparency, ICVA also designed instructions, boxes and envelops, which were placed on info-corners in these healthcare institutions, for citizens to report corruption.

ICVA designed the info. material, which was put in use in all selected public healthcare institutions to raise the public awareness on negative effects of corruption in the public healthcare sector and to provide citizens with the information on how to report cases of corruption.

Helthcare Legacies. The HSG-developed template of anti corruption Rulebook model and info. material were handed directly to the public health care institutions for their continued use after ACCOUNT’s close. These tools, in addition to the increased capacity of the public healthcare institutions to work on adjustments and updates of the model, will ensure that achievements in this sector are sustainable and a solid foundation for continued anti-corruption reforms in the healthcare sector.

At the end of the Small Grant Program in 2019, ICVA orgnized the final Anti- corruption Forum (May 16, 2019) in Sarajevo, which discussed the progress in acceptance of anti-corruption Rulebooks in the public helathcare institutions in the selected cantons

During the final Anti-corruption Forum with healthcare workers... 23

The activity ended on a high note highlighting the multiply effects that anti-corruption Rulebooks have on the individual responsibilities of healthcare workers in improving work ethics, changing perception of corruption in the healthcare sector, and increasing prevention of corruptive behaviors in this sector.

Activity 1.4: Public Advocacy on Sector Employment Main goal within this activity was to contribute to increasing Employment/Recruitment Sector Group’s (RSG) involvement and input regarding anti-corruption legislation in the area of recruitment in public sector, by means of advocacy and promotion. ACCOUNT follow on project was focused on activities in the public sector recruitment sector: i) advocating for the harmonization of legislation, regulations and bylaws governing recruitment and ii) advocating for the implementation of anti-corruption procedures, including those governing the formation in public institutions of independent bodies such as commissions and committees to carry out the procedures of public advertisement and selecting candidates.

Employment Legislation Concepts Key results

Working to strengthen employment • Assessed the legislative framework in legislations at all levels over the course of 4 the field of employment and provided years, with special focus on advocating for the recommendations for improvements implementation of anti-corruption procedures • Developed and updated employment (Rulebook). All this positioned ACCOUNT legislations at all levels with CSOs highly on the anti-corruption agenda when it inputs comes to employment at all levels of the • Developed and conducted advocacy government campaigns • Rulebook on conducting oral interviews and scoring candidates for employment in administration bodies was proposed and advocated

In order to implement all project activities, to achieve the set goals and results, ACCOUNT has established cooperation with civil society organizations during the project lifetime. ACCOUNT published three calls for applications for network members and after evaluation, application that had the highest score was Helsinki Committee for Human Rights (HCHR) in the Republika Srpska. This organization was a leading organization in the Employment Sector Group (EMSG), for three years, and they implemented project called: “Equal chances-transparency in public sector employment I, II and III”.

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Helsinski Committee for Human Rights, leader of SWG Employment

Year 1 (2015 - 2016) Year 2 (2016 - 2017) Year 3 (2017 - 2018)

- Youth Center Trebinje, - KAM, - Forum of Citizens Zenica, - KAM, - ALDI, - Association “Justicia”, - ALDI, - Center for Citizens - Center for Citizens Cooperation CGS , - Center for Citizens Cooperation Livno, Cooperation CGS Livno; - For better ; - Center for Civil Society Development Doboj;

ACCOUNT members of the Employment Sector Group (EMSG) coordinated the anti-corruption initiatives in observance of the International Anti - Corruption Day on December 9, for each project year. Most important initiatives were synchronized action which involved the ACCOUNT Network organizations in the five towns (Sarajevo, Trebinje, , Tuzla, and ), on this Day, the requests for the elimination of corruption and discriminatory practices in employment and transparent access to jobs in the public sector were submitted to the entity and cantonal-level of governments and public institutions. The table below includes the list of participating organizations, towns as well as the names of the institutions where the requests were filed:

Organization City Institution

1. Justicia Tuzla Government of Tuzla Canton 2. Women Forum Bratunac, Mayor of Municipality Bratunac, Assembly Bratunac of Municipality Bratunac, Health Centre Bratunac, Health Centre Zvornik, Center for Social Work Bratunac 3. Center for Youth Travnik Government of , Education (CEM) Mayor of Municipality Travnik, Assembly of Municipaltiy Travnik 4. Center for Sarajevo Government of Federation of BiH, development of youth Government of Sarajevo Canton, Civil activism (CROA) Service Agency of Federation of BiH, JP Elektroprivreda BiH, JP BH gas, University Clinical Center Sarajevo 5. Youth Center Trebinje Mayor of City Trebinje, Assembly of City Trebinje (OCT) Trebinje

The requests addressed the following issues: 1) Cantonal government and Municipal authorities should analyze legislation which allow managers of public companies to directly decide about employment 2) To send the initiative to amend the legislation in terms of commitment of public institutions and public companies to issue a public call for employment

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3) Legally define greater powers of inspection bodies, when it comes to the abuse of the employment in public sector 4) Cantonal and Municipal authorities should establish an independent bodies that will conduct a public notice procedure and the selection of the most successful candidate for employment

ACCOUNT and Helsinki Committee for Human Rights during the lifetime of activity provided a several advocacy activities and established cooperation with major stakeholders and target groups. Some of the major activities were:

• Established cooperation with major stakeholders (Anticorruption bodies on cantonal level; public institutions, public companies) • Series of meetings were held with the representatives of government at all levels • Signed Memoranda of Understanding with municipalities of Živinice and Lukavac on development of a Rulebook Model on employment and adopted Rulebook; • Established working group whom develop model regulations that will apply for all public enterprises and institutions in these municipalities; • Facilitated a technical discussion “Abuse of discretion in employment in the public sector in BiH”; • Organized and held 7 press conferences (in Orašje, Livno, Bihać, Travnik, Goražde, Tuzla and Zenica). Citiziens were informed on identified irregularities (press conferencies, ACCOUNT’s web and FB page, infographics and videos, media reporting)

ACCOUNT advertised the call for proposals for an expert to conduct the analysis of existing policies and procedures including an overview of existing corruption penetration points in public institutions and companies in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Expert conducted an analyses of existing policies and procedures including an overview of existing corruption penetration points in public institutions and companies in Bosnia and Herzegovina (“Analysis of existing policies and procedures including an overview of existing corruption penetration points in the public institutions and companies in Bosnia and Herzegovina”).

The analysis has shown that there is a need for this model rulebook to be adopted as soon as possible in these cantons.

The results of the analysis have shown that in almost all cantons: • there is still a discretionary right of the head of the body to choose the candidate regardless of the objective criteria; • in most cantons there is no right to appeal to those who have not been selected; • members of the commission are persons who are responsible for their work to the manager; • interviewing is inadequately defined, that there is no public participation or control over the candidate's response.

It is concluded that the legislation that the cantons use is not adequate, that it is full of indecision, that it leaves room for corruption and that it is necessary to make urgent

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amendments/adopt additional sub-acts.

The analysis also includes recommendations for further action in the field of employment: • precisely regulate the way of preparing general knowledge and professional exams • provide insight into the solutions and performed tests of candidates after scoring; • precisely regulate the course of the candidate's oral interview with objective criteria and evaluation by the commission, and it is mandatory to keep minutes of the candidates' questions and answers; • enable applicants to file legal remedies (appeals, complaints, etc.) during the public tender procedure and prior to making the final ranking list and the order of the candidates; • Commission for the selection of candidates should be appointed by an independent body, and that the majority of members are experts or independent members who are not from the civil service body for which the competition is announced; • limit discretionary powers of managers • limit the mandates of managers in state bodies in order to depoliticize employment in the civil service • limit the number of employees at the workplace in the civil service body (both for fixed and indefinite contracts).

When it comes to cooperation with key stakeholders in order to advocate adoption of proposed Rulebook Helsinki Committee and ACCOUNT also selected area of seven cantons (PK, TK, SBK, Ze-Do, BPK, USK, Canton 10), in which the adoption of the Rulebook on conducting oral interviews and scoring candidates for employment in the administration bodies was proposed and advocated. An inclusive list of all cooperates is listed below:

No. Public institution Public company Municipality

1 "Dom penzionera" Tuzla "Saobraćaj i komunikacije" Zenica Tuzla 2 JU “Centar za socijalni rad” Orasje "Komunalac" Orašje Lukavac 3 "Centar za socijalni rad" Bihać "Vodovod" Bihać Živinice 4 Javna ustanova za prostorno planiranje "Centar za djecu i odrasle sa Srebrenik i uređenje grada Zenica posebnim potrebama" Zenica 5 Zavod za zdravstveno osiguranje "Plava Voda" Travnik Bijeljina Travnik 6 "Centar za socijalni rad Livno Javno komunalno preduzeće Trebinje Livno 7 "Dom zdravlja" Goražde Javno komunalno preduzeće Livno Goražde

Most public institutions and companies with which meetings were held have not developed a procedure that defines this area of interviews and scoring candidates, and most of the representatives have shown initial willingness to cooperate. Unfortunately, all the mentioned institutions refused or delayed the proposed cooperation. The reasons for rejecting the adoption of the proposed Rulebook were different:

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• from the old manager it was stated that the Posavina Canton does not yet have a legal obligation to create a rulebook regulating the field of public employment, and that it will, if appropriate, proceed with such a procedure. • the authority in Bosnia- Podrinje Canton- Goražde was established only in April 2019 and there was no possibility for cooperation; • harmonization of laws and other by-laws on the cantons will be awaited; • The problems surrounding the formation of newly elected authorities in the Ze-Do Canton were very complicated and still ongoing. On several occasions a coalition was agreed, so that it would soon be sorted out.

Among other negative answers, there was a positive shift. Namely, the Association KAM, member of SG and project partner continuously cooperate with the Ze-Do Anti-Corruption Team. Thanks to the joint work, Tim proposed to the Government of the Ze-Do Canton the adoption of the Decree on the Procedure for Admission to Public Sector Employment in the Ze-Do Canton, which the Government adopted on May 29, 2018.

Activity 1.5: Public Advocacy on Education (IH)

The main goal of this activity was to increase involvement of the ACCOUNT’s Education Sector Group (EDSG) to advocate for introduction of anti-corruption lessons in cross-curricula classes in selected primary and secondary schools.

Anti-corruption Education Model Key results: Strengthen • Developed anti-corruption Education ACCOUNT designed the methodology for model introduction of anti-corruption education in • Anti-corruption education classes selected primary and secondary schools, which introduced in 90 primary and secondary paved the way for the main project partners, schools including the state Anti-corruption Agency • Assessed impact and results of the anti- (APIK), the Agency for Preschool, Primary and corruption education classes covering Secondary Education (APOSO), anti- improved understanding of both teachers corruption CSOs, educational sector, including and professors authorized ministries for education, and • Provided intensive public advocacy selected primary and secondary schools to campaign on anti-corruption education with advance anti-corruption curricula and more youth involvement quickly absorb capacity building provided by ACCOUNT.

The anti-corruption education model, which ACCOUNT first launched in 2015, continued to be the strong instrument for anti-corruption education in selected primary and secondary schools over the course of the project. ACCOUNT developed the improved anti-corruption education model, which contained a unified anti-corruption methodology suitable for use in primary and secondary schools, and included teachers and professors in the capacity building activities along with the numerous meetings, training, and forums, among others.

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During the course of the project, ACCOUNT piloted the improved anti-corruption education model in 90 elementary and secondary schools in 6 cantons in the Federation of BiH, Bijeljina and Trebinje regions in the Republika Srpska entity and Brčko District, which involved more than 1500 students, allowing these schools to test this model in school classes. The anti-corruption classes included lessons on ethics and norms of behavior, importance of merit and legality, negative effects of corruptive behaviors, and on mechanisms to fight against corruption, among others.

In parallel, ACCOUNT staff supported the introduction of the anti-corruption education model, by

(i) strengthening cooperation among civil society organizations, educational institutions, anti- corruption agencies and schools on anti-corruption lessons; (ii) advocating for introduction of anti-corruption education in schooling system through institution channels, in line with the anti-corruption strategies at all levels; (iii) raising public awareness of risks for corruption in the education sector, by supporting art works and exhibitions with youth involvement, impact assessment, fb platforms, monitoring and reporting; (iv) increasing social and traditional media campaigns for promotion of anti-corruption education.

Education Sector Group (EDSG) Through the Small Grant Program, in 2015, ACCOUNT formed the Education Sector Group (EDSG) and competitively selected the Center for Development of Youth Activism (CROA) as a leading organization of the EDSG to work with the selected primary and secondary schools on introduction of anti-corruption lessons in school classes. CROA was repeatedly selected as a leading organization over the course of three cycles of the small grant program (2016-2019) to implement the small-size project titled: Prevention of Corruption through Education Project: More knowledge, More Transparency I, II and III. The project encompassed several major phases, including:

(i) capacity building of teachers and professors on content of anti-corruption classes; (ii) presentation of anti-corruption pilot classes in selected primary and secondary schools; (iii) exhibitions of students’ art works on the theme of anti-corruption; and (iv) organization of Final Anti-corruption Forum on main project results and impact.

Education Advocacy Campaign. In order to promote the anti-corruption model, during the course of this small-grant program, CROA provided, among other activities, numerous meetings, seminars, youth forums, anti-corruption youth fb platforms, street actions, promotion campaigns with students’ involvement. Some illustrative examples are highlighted below.

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During the the anti-corruption class "Bribery and Corruption as a Social Problem", on February 19, 2019, CROA spoke about the concept of corruption, its negative political, economic and social consequences, as well as the forms of corruption in the education sector.

On February 20, 2019, the final conference of the project "Strengthening Youth Activism in Fight Against Corruption in Bosnia and Herzegovina", financially supported by UNDEF, was held for the youth anti-corruption teams and ACCOUNT’s activists in the education sector. The conference was attended by more than one hundred young people from all over Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Exhibitions of students' art works on the theme of anti-corruption. The exhibitions took places in three cities, including Odžak (April 11, 2019), Tuzla (April 12, 2019) and in“ Ustikolina- Foča (May 7, 2019

Anti-corruption Education Legacies. On May 28, 2019, CROA conducted the final Anti- corruption Forum to recap findings over the course of the project as well as to provide recommendations for future anti-corruption education. Over 50 professors and students, who participated in the project as well as representatives of CROA, INFOHOUSE, APIK, other NGOs and the media attended the Forum.

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The Forum provided specific recommendations for participating tecahers to form an E-Anti-corruption Pool of Tecahers, which will continue to work on introduction of anti- corruption lessons in school classes, once ACCOUNT ends. INFOHOUSE will continue to support the work of this Pool in the future as a legacy organization for strengthening anti- corruption education and mobilizing power of youth in similar anti- corruption initiatives.

With Director from APIK during the final Anti-corruption Forum in Sarajevo

The Forum also highlighted the main findings form the impact survey, which CROA conducted in 26 primary and secondary schools in the regions of Trebinje and Bijeljina in the Republika Srpska entity, Brčko District, and in 5 cantons in the Federation of BiH, including Sarajevo Canton, Middle Bosnia Canton, Posavina Canton, Bosnia-Podrinje Canton and Tuzla Canton. The survey inluded 1027 students and 27 teachers.

The survey showed that the cooperation with partner schools was successful, that the students were positive about both anti-corruption classes and other anti-corruption intreventions, as well as that this kind of activity created positive changes in students' perception of corruption. The below graphics contain the primary results from the survey with the teachers. 23 teachers believe anti- corruption classes helped students develop critical opinion on corruption; 17 teachers believe anti- corruption classes positively influenced changes of students' perception of corruption; 23 teachers believe that students, having participated in anti-corruption classes, acquired new knowledge and skills on anti-corruption; 18 teachers stated that they applied new knowledge and skills acquired during the anti-corruption capacity building and classes; 22 teachers found anti- corruption classes suitable to be used in practice. 31

Here are the main points from students’ point of views.

761 students or 74% stated that they participated in anti-corruption classes; 663 students believe that anti-corruption classes provided them with knowledge on forms of corruption and anti- corruption behaviors in practical situations; 643 students believe that anti-corruption lessons should be added to teaching classes; 292 students believe that studying anti-corruption should take place during the regular classes

Beyond technical successes, this result was an institutional success also, as it was the first time that the main Anti-corruption Agency (APIK), APOSO, cantonal-level ministries of education, and the anti-corruption CSOs form the ACCOUNT network discussed the identical anti-corruption model in cross-curricula.

Component 2 Monitoring and reporting on corruption in the selected sectors

Strategic Objective 2 Anticipated Results 2.1. CSOs effectively analyze, monitor and publish reports on corruption in specified Strengthen CSO capacity for in-depth sectors monitoring, data processing, synthesis and 2.2. Increased recognition of local CSOs within analysis of corruption in selected sectors their communities

Activity 2.1: CSOs Coordination

ACCOUNT Network is composed of over 90 anti-corruption CSOs engaged in fighting against corruption in the five project sectors (whistleblowers, public employment, healthcare, public procurement and education) and in development of anti-corruption action plans at the local level, monitoring and reporting corruption cases, in several ways, by: (i) participating in strengthening anti-corruption legislation concepts, in particular in the whistleblowing and public procurement sectors,

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(ii) assisting in formulation of governments’ anti-corruption strategies, policies and processes at all levels; (iii) providing intensive anti-corruption advocacy campaigns to promote protection of victims of corruption and whistleblowers; (iv) monitoring progress in implementation of anti-corruption policies and procedures in selected sectors; (v) investigative reporting on cases of corruption

ACCOUNT staff worked with the selected CSOs from the ACCOUNT’s Network to strengthen its coordinating role in realization of the project objectives under each of the project components. Over the course of the first six months in 2015, ACCOUNT staff also worked to consolidate sector groups, monitoring teams and watchdog organizations, and to define their operational scopes in line with the ACCOUNT’s work plan.

Sector Groups: Through the Small Grant Program, in April 2015, ACCOUNT formed the 5 sector groups, which were composed of anti-corruption CSOs from the ACCOUNT’s Network, and competitively selected 5 leading organizations in each sector group to receive small-size grants to conduct advocacy campaigns. Another group of 5 lead organizations was formed to work on development of anti-corruption action plans at the local level.

Management of Sub-awards (contracts and small grants): ACCOUNT utilized sub - awards mechanism to provide support to small-scale advocacy projects, monitoring and investigative reporting on corruption, as well as to development of anti-corruption action plans at local level. During the life of the activity, ACCOUNT administered the 10 small grant cycles.

ACCOUNT SECTOR GROUPS during the Life of Activity per selected sectors Grant Whistleblower Public Healthcare Employment Education cycle protection procurement 1 OC Trebinje Tender Stop Mobing HCHR CROA Justicia ICVA CGS OC Trebinje HCHR Forum Bosna CRCD HCHR Ruka ruci OCT Lovor Oaza Vermont 2 Justicia ICVA HCHR CROA Grant was not CROA ALDI KAM Justicia awarded due the ALDI applications didn’t ALDI KAM KAM meet selection CGS CGS criteria Za bolji S.Most CRCD 3 Justicia Grant was not ICVA HCHR CROA CROA awarded due the Zemlja djece KAM Justicia applications didn’t ALDI meet selection ALDI KAM criteria CGS CGS CRCD

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ACCOUNT MONITORING TEAMS during the Life of Activity per selected sectors Grant Whistleblower Public Healthcare Employment Education cycle protection procurement CRCD Justicia CGS Justicia ToPeer ToPeer ALDI ALDI CRCD CROA OC Trebinje Tender Stop Mobbing CROA CRCD 1 UG Inicijator ToPeer OCT UG Inicijator CRCD CGS Prizma Brčko CRCD Justicia SOS Brčko Vermont HCABL CROA Kvart CRCD Justicia Resursni centar 2 Stop Mobbing ALDI Stop Mobbing CGS Livno CZP Zenica Justicia CROA CROA Za bolji S. Most CRCD UG REZ KAM Justicia PerpetuumMobile ToPeer CRCD Justicia FRD CGS Livno CZP Zenica ToPeer ALDI SOS Brčko Duvanjke FRD 3 Justicia KAM CRCD Resursni centar Stop Mobbing Kvart Resursni centar CROA 4 / Justicia / CGS Livno KAM / KAM / Mladi volonteri Justicia

ANTI-CORRUPTION STRATEGIES AT LOCAL LEVEL Grant cycle 1 Grant cycle 2 Grant cycle 3 ALDI ALDI ALDI + Justicia CGS CGS HCHR + KAM HCHR HCHR CGS + GUŽ Duvanjke ToPeer KAM KAM + Justicia

ACCOUNT staff also developed operational and financial procedures (Small Grant Manual) for small-scale advocacy sector groups, monitoring teams, and investigative reporters on corruption cases in selected sectors, which USAID approved in December 2015.

During each small grant round, approximately $ 12,500 was awarded to each lead organization for public advocacy projects in the selected sector and approximately $ 5,000 to each lead organization for development of anti-corruption action plans in the selected municipalities. ACCOUNT also awarded small-size contracts to members of the Network for monitoring and reporting on corruption in selected sectors.

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ACCOUNT presented the Small Grant Program On January 29, 2016 ACCOUNT held the orientation meeting with the sector groups to present types of small-scale grant awards (small grants and contracts) in public advocacy and awareness-raising activities in the project sectors. The meeting also emphasized, among others, the selection process, evaluation criteria, eligibility requirements, budgetary considerations, grant application options, and key conditions of awards. The grants were awarded competitively, with the first cycle of funding starting in April 2016.

After selection and approval of leading organizations, on April 8, 2016, ACCOUNT facilitated a post-award meeting with the sub-grant recipients (Stop Mobbing/Trebinje, ICVA/Sarajev, HCHR /Bijeljina, CROA/Sarajevo, Youth Center Trebinje (OCT)/Trebinje and Tender/Banja Luka) in the advocacy component, and in development of anti-corruption action plans (ALDI/Goražde, CGS/Livno, HCHR/Bijeljina, KAM/Zenica and ToPeer/Doboj) to address the major issues in small grant applications, goals and objectives, timeframes, activities, measurable indicators of successes, in line with the ACCOUNT’s work plan.

ACCOUNT also conducted joint events with the Network members to mark the project progress.

ACCOUNT's Fourth Assembly, December 8, 2015 took place in the Parliamentary building of BiH. There were total of 142 participants, out of which 75 representatives from civil society, 35 representatives from political parties (MPs and other political representatives), 15 representatives from various state and entity level institutions, and 17 representatives from international organizations (U.S. Embassy, USAID and its implementing partners, OHR, etc.). The ceremonial portion of the Assembly was addressed by the ex-U.S Ambassador Maureen Cormack, Chairman of Council of Ministries Denis Zvizdić, Member of Parliamentary Assembly of BiH Ljiljana Zovko, ex-Director of Agency for Prevention and Coordination of Fight against Corruption (APIK) Sead Lisak, and ACCOUNT Chief of Party Eldin Karić.

U.S Ambassador Maureen Cormack addresses ACCOUNT’s Fourth Assembly, December 8, 2015 35

The working portion of the Assembly discussed the goals and anticipated effective mechanisms to prevent and suppress corruptive behavior in the project sectors, under the small grant program.

ACCOUNT’s Fifth Annual Assembly, December 8, 2016 was opened by ACCOUNT Chief of Party, Eldin Karić, who spoke about the major activities, achievements and challenges in implementation of anti-corruption initiatives in 2016. Dženana Alađuz, Director of INFOHOUSE, who moderated the event, addressed the progress within each project component. The Assembly highlighted huge successes in development and implementation of anti-corruption legislation and polices in whistleblowing, public, employment and healthcare sectors. The leading organizations in the selected sectors spoke about the progress results in their small grant programs and addressed major obstacles in their implementation. The Assembly included almost 50 representatives from the ACCOUNT’s Network.

ACCOUNT’s CSOs attend the Fifth Annual Assembly in Sarajevo, December 8, 2016

ACCOUNT at UNODC's Conference. During the workshop session on “Measures taken after the First cycle review: Lessons learned and good practices“ in the review mechanisms of the UNCAC on implementation of GRECO’s recommendations, ACCOUNT staff spoke about the successful engagement with the government at all levels, which resulted with partnerships in strengthening anti-corruption processes in the project sectors. A particular emphasis in discussion was given on legal assistance to victims of corruption post reporting and how it functions in practice. The reviewer asked about specific outcomes in this component. Conference took place in Sarajevo, September 27, 2017.

CSOs’ Legacies: Achievement in each project component would not be possible without engagement of the sector groups and lead organizations, which left a great number of improved anti-corruption legislation concepts, policies and procedures, as well as processes to fight against corruption as legacies for the counterparts to continue to use and update after the ACCOUNT’s end. The below list highlights some of the key sector-based project legacies, all of which drawn as a result of CSOs’ progressive support, including:

(i) improved conditions for harmonization of anti-corruption legislation concepts, namely in the areas of whistleblowing and public procurement; (ii) improved anti-corruption policies and procedure (Rulebooks) developed and ready for

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implementation in the public healthcare and employment sectors; (iii) process of introduction of anti-corruption pilot classes into school cross-curricula; (v) process of development of anti-corruption action plans at the local level; and (vi) numerous investigated reports/news on cases of corruption

Activity 2.2: Monitoring corruption in selected sectors Main goal of activity Monitoring and reporting in selected sectors was contribute to the further monitoring, analysis and reporting of corruption in five specified sectors (whistleblower protection, public procurement, healthcare, education, employment in public sector) by CSOs, ACCOUNT Network members. Through the whole Life of the ACCOUNT, this activity included the three main activities:

1) Selection and strengthening CSOs as members of the five Monitoring teams tasked with monitoring the relevant sector 2) Ensure effective monitoring of the corruption in selected sector by watch-dog teams 3) Report on monitoring findings

The ACCOUNT utilized small-grants mechanism to provide support to CSOs for efficiently and effectively monitoring of corruption. Through four cycles of the sub-award program a total number 33 CSOs i.e. 18 Monitoring teams in five selected sectors had been engaging in watch-dog activities, and total number of 21 monitoring reports were conducted. (Note: CSOs that were supported through the various rounds of small- grant awards assumed multiple roles throughout the implementation process, including participation in multiple sectors.)

Monitoring activities were proved as a very productive tool for detecting and presenting the level of corruption in public sector and how public institutions are (not) dealing with the corruption and anti-corruption reforms. Monitoring was focused on topics and issues identified by sector groups with the main goal to provide necessary insight into 1) whether public institutions elaborated and adopted anti- corruption policies and procedures; 2) whether institutions respected adopted laws; 3) whether policies and procedures comply with the recommended practices; 4) whether policies and procedures used in institutions leave room for corrupt behavior, etc. During the Life of the Activity the following Monitoring reports were conducted:

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Sector Produced Monitoring Reports Year Monitoring of public companies’ procurements based on Audit’s reports – 2017 Public Federation BiH procurement Monitoring of public companies’ procurements based on Audit’s reports – 2017 Cantonal level Monitoring of the annulment of public procurement procedures 2018 Monitoring of the public procurement annual plans 2018 Monitoring of the complaints on public procurement procedures, 2019 conducted by the Procurement Review Body Monitoring of the Public procurement’ Direct agreements 2019 Education Buying textbooks as a condition of passing the exam 2017 Monitoring on implementation of anti-corruption policies in educational 2018 institutions, including monitoring of irregularities in school and faculty enrollment Monitoring on Corruption in Higher education system in BiH 2019 Monitoring on corruption id education sector - The prequalification 2019 procedures in High schools Employment Monitoring on corruption in recruitment – public institutions in BiH 2017 in public sector Monitoring of the implementation of anti-corruption policies and 2018 procedures on recruitment in public institutions and companies Monitoring of the corruption in recruitment on cantonal and municipality 2019 level in Canton 10, Tuzla Canton and HNK Canton Monitoring of the corruption in recruitment on cantonal and municipality 2019 level in Ze-Do, Central-Bosnia and Health care Citizens' perceptions of corruption in the health sector 2017 Monitoring of the waiting list in public hospitals and clinical centers 2018 Monitoring of the implementation of anti-corruption documents and 2018 procedures in healthcare institutions Monitoring of the procurement of health equipment, materials and drugs 2019 Whistleblower Monitoring of the implementation Rulebook on Internal Reporting of 2017 protection Corruption in BiH Institutions Monitoring of the implementation of the BiH Law on Whistleblower 2018 protection Monitoring of the implementation of the Republika Srpska Law on 2019 protection of whistleblowers”

An important part of this activity was capacity building as a prerequisite for implementation of effective monitoring. Through various trainings and regular meetings ACCOUNT helped members of Monitoring teams to improve its skills and knowledge in order to become serious advocates for change. Also, close cooperation between Monitoring teams and Sector groups had been established, bearing in mind that monitoring data and findings were basis for Sector group’s advocacy initiatives.

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Doboj, September 2016, and Srebrenik August 2016, meetings of members of Monitoring teams and Sector groups in charge of Whistleblower protection, Education and Public procurement sector

In order to contribute to the strengthening of public awareness of the problem of corruption and inform more citizens about the necessity for fighting against corruption, each produced monitoring report was being publicly presented and citizens had been informed on identified irregularities through press conferences, ACCOUNT’s web and FB page, infographics and videos, media reporting, etc.

Quiz games “Together in fight against corruption”

In Y3, ACCOUNT launched five FB quiz games “Together in fight against corruption” Citizens were engaged in answering to quiz questions about corruption and therefore winning symbolic gift (ACCOUNT’s T-shirt, cap, umbrella, bag, pencil, etc). Question were based on monitoring findings. The citizens' response was excellent – campaign reached more than 23.000 people, page visitors engagement raised for 100%, and feedback was excellent - citizens sent messages of support and gratitude as well as photos:

"I will be proud to wear a hat, umbrella, especially a bag, in all institutions I will visit" - wrote Elvira Behić, one of the winners of ACCOUNT’s quiz. “Thank you, I am with you. I wish you success in fighting against corruption!” - wrote Radmila Poulsen. “Thank you. Always with you!” - wrote Esad Jezerkić.

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Activity 2.3: Anti-Corruption Strategies at the Local Level Over the course of the project, a total of 40 municipalities/cities participated in the process of development and implementation of anti-corruption action plans at the local level.

Corruption distorts the allocation of local revenues and performance of local governments, and represent barrier to stable growth, efficient public services, improved local economic policy and governance. Although there is no unique recipe for fighting against corruption at the local level, development of anti-corruption action plans proved to be a good format. The local anti-corruption action plans, which development was supported by ACCOUNT provided a good basis for strengthening internal policies, increasing transparency and inclusiveness of budgetary processes, strengthening integrities of municipalities officials and ethical standards, among others.

Over the course of the activity, ACCOUNT supported 5 anti-corruption CSOs, including CGS/Livno, Helsinki Committee for Human Rights/Bijeljina, ALDI/Goražde, ToPeer/Doboj and KAM/Zenica from the ACCOUNT Network to work with the 40 municipalities/towns on development of anti-corruption action plans.

# Name of Selected Municipalities-for development activity Organization 1. ALDI/Goražde , , Kreševo Goražde, Foča and Pale in FBiH, Ilijaš, Breza,Vogošća 2. CGS/Livno Ravno, , Ljubuški, Čitluk, Čapljina, , , Bihać

3. Helsinski Kladanj, Doboj Istok, Živinice Committee Bijeljina, , , Odžak, Šamac, Zavidovići, /Bijeljina 4. KAM/Zenica Doboj Jug, Maglaj, Vareš, Usora, Gračanica, Lukavac, Visoko, Žepče, Travnik 5. ToPeer/Doboj Teslić, Lukavac, Usora

The two major criteria for selection of the municipalities/towns in this component were geographical diversity and lack of in-sources in these municipalities, namely knowledge and skills on how to complete this assignment as well as interest that is expressed by each municipality to participate in this activity.

2.3.1 Development of Anti-Corruption Action Plans. ACCOUNT staff designed the methodology for development of the anti-corruption action plans, which included several phases: signing of memoranda of understanding, work group formation, in-depth assessment, qualitative and quantitative analysis, identification of strategic goals/measures, and finally, development and adoption of anti/corruption action plans.

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The table below shows the progress (2015-2109) within each phase.

ALDI/Goražde Municipality/ MoU signed Working In-depth Qualitative and Action Plan Action Plan Town (Date) Group Assessment Quantitative Submitted adopted formed conducted analysis (YES/NO) (YES/NO) (YES/NO) (YES/NO) completed (YES/NO) Foča FBiH June 1, 2016 Yes Yes Yes Yes April 24, 2017 Pale FBiH June 1, 2016 Yes Yes Yes Yes May 17, 2017 Ilijaš Oct.10, 2017 Yes Yes Yes Yes June 11, 2018 Breza Oct.10, 2017 Yes Yes Yes Yes June11, 2018 Vogošća Feb. 26, 2018 Yes Yes Yes Pending Pending Fojnica Jan. 9, 2019 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Kiseljak Jan. 9, 2019 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Kreševo ------CGS/Livno Municipality/ MoU signed Working In-depth Qualitative and Action Plan Action Plan Town (Date) Group Assessment Quantitative submitted adopted formed conducted analysis (YES/NO) (YES/NO) (YES/NO) (YES/NO) completed (YES/NO) Čitluk June 9, 2016 Yes Yes Yes Yes Mar. 30, 2017 Čapljina June29, 2016 Yes Yes Yes Yes Pending Ljubuški July 12, 2016 Yes Yes Yes Yes Mar. 13, 2017 Neum Sept.26, 2017 Yes Yes Yes - - Bihać Feb. 2, 2018 Yes Yes Yes Yes Pending Ravno ------Mostar May 27, 2019 Pending Pending Pending Pending Pending Vitez ------HCHR/Bijeljina Municipality/ MoU signed Working In-depth Qualitative and Action Plan Action Plan Town (Date) Group Assessment Quantitative Submitted adopted formed conducted analysis (YES/NO) (YES/NO) (YES/NO) (YES/NO) completed (YES/NO) Lopare June 16,2016 Yes Yes Yes Yes Pending Ugljevik Aug.23,2016 Yes Yes Yes Yes July 7, 2017 Odžak Dec. 6, 2016 Yes Yes Yes Yes June 9, 2017 Domaljevac- Dec. 6, 2017 Yes Yes Yes Yes Pending Šamac Zavidović Nov.6,2017 Yes Yes Yes Yes May 30,2018 Banovići Dec. 25,2017 Yes Yes Yes Yes May 31,2018 Doboj Istok Dec. 25, 2018 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Kladanj March 4,2019 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Živnice March 4,2019 Yes Yes Yes Yes Pending KAM/Zenica Municipality/ MoU signed Working In-depth Qualitative and Action Plan Action Plan Town (Date) Group Assessment Quantitative Submitted adopted formed conducted analysis (YES/NO) (YES/NO) (YES/NO) (YES/NO) completed (YES/NO) Travnik Oct.30,2017 Yes Yes Yes Yes April 6,2018 Visoko Nov.10,2017 Yes Yes Yes Yes April 3,2018

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Žepče Nov.6,2017 Yes Yes Yes Yes April 9,2018 Doboj Jug Mar. 15,2019 Yes Yes Yes Yes May 24,2019 Maglaj Mar. 15,2019 Yes Yes Yes Yes May 27, 2019 Vareš Mar.20,2019 Yes Yes Yes Yes May ToPeer/Doboj

Municipality/ MoU signed Working In-depth Qualitative and Action Plan Action Plan Town (Date) Group Assessment Quantitative developed adopted formed conducted analysis (YES/NO) (YES/NO) (YES/NO) (YES/NO) completed (YES/NO) Teslić July 21,2016 Yes Yes Yes Pending Pending Usora Sept. 9, 2016 Yes Yes Yes Yes Feb. 15, 2015 Lukavac Sept.26,2016 Yes Yes Yes Pending Pending

Development and implementation process of anti-corruption action plans at the local level was slowed down in some of the selected municipalities (Vogošća, Čaplina, Bihać, Mostar, Lopare, Domaljevac- Šamac, Živinice, Teslić, Usora), and not all of the selected municipalities proceeded with development of anti-corruption action plans in track with planned objectives, despite many attempts, which were made by the leading organizations. Because of the lack of political will to solidify progress made to up-to-date, Kreševo, Neum, Ravno, and Vitez municipalities opposed to move forward with development of anti- corruption action plans.

Goražde is one of the first municipalities to join the project, and Azra Valjevčić, a specialist and member of the anticorruption working group, said that ACCOUNT has helped them to develop and accept the plan of anti-corruption measures, which they have been implemented almost entirely.

Travnik municipality is also at the integrity plan preparation stage, said Aida Daul, Secretary General of Travnik municipality and leader of the Anti-corruption team. As she said, her team is attending the training in order to get confirmation that they have been correctly implementing measures of the anti-corruption action plan for this municipality.

Maintaining Legacies in Anti-Corruption at the Local Level. ACCOUNT staff also supported development of monitoring and evaluation tools and methodology for the partner municipalities to monitor the progress in the implementation process of the anti-corruption action plans and the effects that these plans have on: local services, public spending, conflict of interests in employment procedures and nepotism.

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On January 24-25, 2019, ACCOUNT organized a regional in-country training (ICT) for two groups of municipality officials on the improved monitoring and evaluation tools and how to use them in practice. ACCOUNT engaged international relations specialist and regional anti-corruption and good governance expert from Macedonia, Ms. Ljupka Simonoska Schulz to conduct the training.

The training highlighted that the successful implementation of action plans will be measured by improved accountability of local administration, increased efficiency and transparency of public services and increased citizens' confidence in the local authorities. The training also underlined that this improved methodology is based on international standards for monitoring and assessment of transparency and accountability of the local administration to fight the corruption. After completion of the program, the partner municipalities will continue to use this methodology for monitoring and evaluation of implementation process of the action plans as their legacies.

A video story documenting the overall process from development of anti-corruption action plans to the implementation process, monitoring and evaluation was filmed during this IC training. The video can be watched at the following link https://youtu.be/9zEQVqDeXxk

As a result, Ms. Simonska Schulz developed the Anti-corruption Monitoring Handbook as a key legacy for partner municipalities to monitor the progress in the implementation process of the anti-corruption action plans and the effects that these plans have in their communities. This Handbook is available at https://www.infohouse.ba/images/prirucnik.pdf

2.3.2 Development of Integrity Plans in the Republika Srpska Public Sector

Another initiative that ACCOUNT launched in partnership with the RS Ministry of Justice was training of civil servants on development process of integrity plans.

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Four Training Cycles on Development of RS Integrity Plans In the period from January through September 2017, ACCOUNT in partnership with the RS Ministry of Justice conducted four rounds of training programs for over 950 representatives of the RS public institutions and local self-governances in six RS regional centers in Banja Luka, Bijeljina, Doboj, Prijedor, Trebinje and Eastern Sarajevo.

Training on Plan of Integrity in Banja Luka, January 25, 2017

Tracking the progress in acceptance of the Plans of Integrity in the Republika Srpska entity in 2019, which the RS Ministry of Justice reported on July 5, 2019, the table below shows the most recent highlighting accomplishment rate 72% (or 46 municipalities out of 64) for the priority group IV (municipalities), which counts for the ACCOUNT MEL PMP Indicators of Achievements.

Priority Group Total No. of No. of Institutions Percentage Institutions which accepted the plans I 26 25 96% II 43 31 67% III 36 36 100% IV (municipalities) 64 46 72% V (public enterprises) 188 92 V (public institutions) 733 433 Total 1091 659

Integrity plans are preventative anti-corruption measures, which serve to improve integrity, professionalism, ethics and other moral values of civil servants and contributes to increased public confidence in the work of the government sector. Only strong individual and institutional integrity can result in greater public accountability and good governance.

2.3.3 Development of the New Anti-corruption Strategy in RS (2018-2022)

ACCOUNT in partnership with the RS Ministry of Justice worked on development of the second generation of the Anti-corruption Strategy (2018-2022) in the Republika Srpska entity. First, on November 30, 2017, the RS Ministry of Justice organized a meeting with the representatives from INFOHOUSE, Transparency International and OSCE to discuss the stages and timeline for development of the Strategy as well as areas in which civil society organizations can assist best. Additionally, following this initial meeting, intensive e-consultations were conducted with the representatives from the RS Ministry of Justice on development and implementation of the strategic measures and activities with CSOs’ inputs. The RS National Assembly adopted the RS Anti-corruption Strategy on June 4, 2018.

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2.3.4 Implementation Process of the New Anti-corruption Strategy in RS (2018-2022)

On January 15, 2019, ACCOUNT participated at the meeting, which the RS Ministry of Justice conducted with the representatives from the local and international donor organizations on the implementation process of the RS Anti-Corruption Action Plan (2018-2020). The meeting discussed the strategic measures/activities from this plan and where the anti-corruption CSOs can assist.

2.3.5 Development and implementation of the Anti-corruption Strategy for Zenica-Doboj Canton.

Grounded on the previously established cooperation and demand-driven technical assistance by the Government of Zenica-Doboj Canton, ACCOUNT and the Anti-corruption Team of the Government of Zenica-Doboj Canton prepared the Anti-corruption Strategy for this Canton. This is one of the first cantons that finalized its strategic framework for fighting corruption. ACCOUNT hired an expert with experiences in development of anti-corruption strategies to assist with this. On January 19, 2018, the Anti-Corruption Strategy of the Zenica-Doboj Canton Government was presented during the press event in Zenica. The representatives from the Zenica-Doboj Government and its Anti-corruption Team, as well as the representatives from the state Anti-corruption Agency (APIK) and INFOHOUSE addressed the media. The press event noted that this Strategy has enormous significance in prioritizing

anti-corruption actions in this Canton. IH Director, ACCOUNT Consultant and APIK Assistant Director during the presentation of the Anti-corruption Strategy for ZDK

2.3.5 Implementation of the Anti-corruption Strategy for Zenica-Doboj Canton.

ACCOUNT in partnership with the Anti-corruption Team of Zenica-Doboj Canton worked on implementation process of the Anti-corruption Strategy in two ways, by (i) training public servants on how to develop sound plans of integrity, and (ii) introducing anti-corruption policies and procedures (Rulebooks) in public healthcare institutions in Zenica-Doboj Canton.

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During the Y4, ACCOUNT continued to assist the Anti- corruption team of the Government of Zenica-Doboj Canton to implement the Anti- corruption Strategy and its Action Plan. Presentation of the first report on implementation of the Anti- corruption action plan of the Zenica- Doboj Canton Government on January 18, 2019, was organized with the support from ACCOUNT. During the presentation in Zenica…

Component 3 Public awareness trough strategically targeted media campaigns

Strategic Objective 3 Anticipated Results 3.1. Increased media reporting on corruption Strengthen public awareness of the problem of corruption and public engagement in anti- 3.2. Increased public awareness of corruption corruption initiatives cases in the specified sectors

Activity 3.1: Public awareness trough strategically targeted media campaigns

Main goal within this activity was to strengthen public awareness of the problem of corruption and public engagement in anti-corruption initiatives through increasing volume and quality of media reporting on corruption. This activity achieved its objectives through i) investigative reporting on corruption ii) promotion of investigative journalism and follow-up on corruption cases by supporting and awarding media outlets and journalist iii) strengthening cooperation between media outlets and CSO’s with regard to the investigation of corruption cases in selected sectors with a view to raising public awareness and accountability

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Žurnal info reporting (CRMA) During the past four years IP CRMA as publisher of Magazine Zurnal prepared and published investigative reports into corruption. This activity has proved to be a very effective tool for drawing public attention to the problem of corruption. CRMA also provided support to media outlets and journalist partners working on investigative stories and publishing stories on corruption from all over the BiH. Beside publishing high quality, fact-based investigative reports on corruption journalist of Zurnal produced and published wide range of media formats and outlets (print, online, video, audio), documentary movies (serial - TV AFFAIR). When it comes to numbers Zurnal have produced large number of investigative reports and achieved astounding results when it comes to reactions either from citizens or competent institutions. In the past 4 years, the online magazine Žurnal also published 777 different articles from the world, culture, sports and other articless, and 42,303 news were transmitted. Žurnal revealed a number of corruption and organized crime affairs that had a significant impact in public and that resulted in sanctions or arrests of people who were involved in these crimes.

Some of the most prominent stories Zurnal investigated and published were:

• Series of articles on then Chief Prosecutor of BiH Goran Salihović that revealed and documented how he abused his position and obstructed investigations of organized crimes in order to protect political power-holders. These stories and the public pressure eventually led to suspension of Goran Salihović and charges were raised against him by the BiH Prosecution;

• Series of articles on malversation regarding the building of Počitelj - Zvirovići part of the highway. This resulted in EIB nor accepting the proposal of the Federal Highways Administration to accept a more expensive bid for the construction of the Počitelj - Zvirovići subdivision and the bidding procedure had to be done from the beginning;

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• In a series of articles, Žurnal revealed how politicians abused their power and charged individuals to employ them with the biggest electric-power company in the country Elektroprivreda BiH. That led to arrests and raising of charges against general secretary of SDA Amir Zukić and two vice-presidents of the same party Asim Sarajlić and Mirsad Kukić and the member of the Main Board of SDA Esed Džananović;

• Žurnal revealed how people’s identities were stolen before the general elections in October 2018. Zurnal’s reporting resulted in reaction of the official institution – Central Electoral Commission (CIK) and Agency for identification documents, registers and data exchange. “CIK confirmed that there is sufficient evidence to file criminal charges that will be forwarded to BiH Prosecution due to possible identity theft and abuse of electoral process”, reported media;

• A series of investigative stories on bribing of Milan Tegeltija, President of the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC) of BiH. The affair is known as “horseshoeing affair”. Stores caused public attention and resulted in the organization of a protest in front of the building of the HJPC and the filing of criminal reports against Milan Tegeltija.

Žurnal awards

During the four years of the project, journalists and redaction of the Online magazine Zurnal received seven extremely significant awards for their contribution to investigative journalism:

First prize EU for investigative journalism in 2016 for the TV documentary ''Master from the Underground'' (May 2017). Film on how Mirsad Kukić got his master’s degree and how he drew money from Banovići coal mine. How, supported by Bakir Izetbegović( president of ruling political party SDA) he took control over the legislative, executive and judicial authority, education, healthcare and employment in Tuzla canton, but also over the energy policy of the FBiH. Film is available here: http://skr.rs/hK6

Awarded Žurnal’s journalists

EU Award for investigative story of exceptional quality in 2016 for the documentary "Terma" (May 2017). The film "Terma" points to some details of the operations of the Mine and thermal power plant Gacko, managed by the Government of Republika Srpska, as the majority owner, through the entity's Electric Power Company. During the last 15 years, we have seen politically motivated theft through the works done by private companies for the mine and the thermal power plant. Documentary is available at link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZBrIRHJu3A&t=113s

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• USAID/BiH Mission’ Certificate of Appreciation to Žurnal’s Editor-in-chief Selvedin Avdić for professional leadership of the extraordinary and courageous team of independent journalists (January 2017 • USAID/BiH Mission’ Certificate of Appreciation to journalist Azra Omerovic for her high impact journalism in investigating affair of buying school diplomas (March 2019) • Journalists Association of BiH Annual Award for the Best Newsroom (collective prize) (April 2019) • Foundation “Dusko Jovanovic”, Montenegro Award for investigative reporting - “For 17 days we have obtained a diploma from the secondary medical school” (May 2019).

First prize EU for investigative journalism in 2018 for the documentary film ‘’State againist David’’ (September 2019). Žurnal's film "State against David" reconstructs the last hours of the life of David Dragičević, comparing contradictory police findings with the evidence in the possession of the family, and points to a kind of phenomenon of civil rebellion of the group "Justice for David". Author is Amarildo Gutic. Film is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhr_zTgPQIQ

Photo: Awarding Ceremony, Sarajevo, September 2019

ACCOUNT Journalism Award for Investigative Journalism

ACCOUNT Journalism Award for Investigative Journalism was set in order to promote investigative journalism and encourage individual journalists to engage in this type of journalism. The starting premise is that investigative journalism best serves the public interest and that it is necessary to professionally report and expose corruption in all its forms and in all levels of authority in BiH. Corruption is considered one of, if not the main problems of BiH society. It is wide-spread and also affects the media in the sense that some media outlets fail to report on these issues or are used by the power-holders to spin the information.

Since the start of the activity, ACCOUNT has organized three competitions for the Journalism Award. In years 2016 and 2017 the Awards were given in three categories: for the best written report in print and online media, for the best audio report in radio stations and the best video report in TV stations. In 2018, ACCOUNT introduced one more category – multimedia reporting.

In 2016, ACCOUNT received a total of 37 applications: 23 from print and online media,12 from TV and two from radio. By the decision of the jury, the awards were given to:

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Omer Hasanović from Federal TV for a video report “The Good Flight” on employment of “politically eligible” people in Tuzla Airport at the request of the then PM of Tuzla Canton Bego Gutic; Aladin Abdagić from Center of Investigative Journalism (CIN) for the report “Covic’s Rich Father in Law” that investigates the property of Dragan Čović, leader of HDZ and then member of the BiH Presidency.

In the year 2017, ACCOUNT have received a total of 62 works, with 49 for written report, 11 for video report and 2 for audio report. By the decision of jury, the award was given in two categories: The award for best written report was handed to Marina Čigoja, from Capital.ba, for her story “Only four Public Companies in RS Spend 400 Million KM on Salaries”; Aleksandra Vinčar from Federal TV was awarded for video report “Emdžo’s Collection” that investigates the abuse of power by the former mayor of Bihać.

In 2018, among 37 applications (31 for online media, one for print, one for radio and four video reports) the best were: Žana Gauk from Banja Luka Based Capital.bawas given the Best Written reward for her investigation “Medical Devices in BiH Gasping Due to Corruption and Incompetence”; Semir Mujkić from Detektor.ba from Sarajevo for “Children Waiting for Safe Goals because of Spelling Mistake” for multimedia report.

In 2019, ACCOUNT received 30 application, all of them from online media, with only one of them for the category of video reports. By the decision of the jury, the awards were given to: Team of journalists of CIN from Sarajevo, for the best multimedia report. The topic of their investigation was the financing of associations of veterans from the budget and the abuse of those funds by individuals. Svjetlana Šurlan from Capital.ba for the best written report, for a series of articles on the building of Banja Luka – Prijedor highway.

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ACCOUNT Media pool ACCOUNT provided small – grant support to independent media outlets and journalists dedicated to investigative reporting and fighting against corruption. The main goal of this initiative was i) to expend the quantity of media investigative reporting on corruption, and ii ) to expand access to pro-democratic content for small, local media outlets by bolstering support for independent journalists in order to preserve and build dissenting voices in the media space.

IP CRMA launched ACCOUNT Media pool during the Y2. Through six cycles of the sub-award program a total number of 20 media outlets were supported. Members of Media pool produced 375 investigative articles. The table below presents supported media and its results:

ACCOUNT’s Media pool members’ production (number of produced reports per year) No Media outlet Y2 Y3 Y4 Total 1 Bljesak Mostar 6 / / 6 2 Moja Hercegovina 13 5 11 29 3 Tacno.net Mostar 4 5 10 19 4 RTV Zenica 5 / / 5 5 Capital.ba Banja Luka 10 6 10 26 6 Buka.com Banja Luka 11 7 5 23 7 Analiziraj.ba Sarajevo 75 / 12 87 8 e-trafika.net Banja Luka 8 5 14 27 9 Info Radar Sarajevo / 12 10 22 10 Gerila Banja Luka / 10 10 20 11 Poratl Direkt Trebinje / 13 11 24 12 B1.info Banja Luka / 5 10 15 13 Blog Slobodan.vaskovic / 7 12 19 14 Frontal Banja Luka / 10 7 17 15 Impuls Banja Luka / / 11 11 16 Izvor Banja Luka / / 5 5 17 Fokus Sarajevo / / 5 5 18 InfoMediaBalkan Bijeljina / / 5 5 19 Abraš Media Mostar / / 5 5 20 Interview.ba Sarajevo / / 5 5 TOTAL 132 85 158 375

ACCOUNT Media pool’ members revealed few important corruption cases:

Impuls revealed Fake environmental impact study Impuls portal was the first media outlet to publish the investigative story ''Pumped Storage Power Plant (PSPP) - Fake Data in Environmental Impact Study !?'', about the construction of the ''Vrilo'' hydroelectric power plant near Tomislavgrad. The experts listed in the Environmental Impact Study did not participate in its preparation and the Study was faked. Following the publication of this investigative

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story, the Ministry of the Environment and Tourism FBiH has scheduled a new public debate on the environmental permit for PSPP '' Vrilo ''.

Moja Hercegovina revealed ‘’Scammers’’ On August 6, 2019, Moja Hercegovina portal published an investigative story titled ‘’Thousands of people cheated by Prizma officials’’. Some twenty days later, on August 27, 2019, an indictment was filed against Milenko Ponjarac, a Prizma official, for abuse of office or authority.

Interview.ba reporting The www.interview.ba on-line media portal, which was launched in 2016, offered a unique format of interviews with informative content, which covered various issues on prevention and fight against corruption, with themes for interviews selected based on the findings from the sector groups and project teams involved in monitoring and investigative reporting, among others. Over the course of the Activity, interview.ba conducted over 504 interviews with the major anti-corruption actors, victims of corruption and whistleblowers, women candidates, and other key players in political and social changes in BiH, growing into a respectful social media portal. After the Interview.ba received the fixed obliged grant (FOG) for investigative reporting, it investigated and published 5 investigative reports on cases of corruption and thus become a member of the ACCOUNT’s Media Pool. In addition to the interviews, this portal introduced the news section A-Ž and worked to include daily news. The most read interviews were shared with other portals and on-line daily newspapers from BiH and the region.

Worth to note was the recognition of the interview.ba

More about intreview.ba great news, comments, and contributions, as well as interesting speakers from both BiH and the world, high professional standards, different views and in particular activism that brings changes not only in BiH but also wider, as well as about the unique format of interviews, which are neglected in most on-line portals is also available at the Mreža mira web portal (snapshot on the right).

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Through open communications with victims of corruption and whistleblowers as well as women victims of violation of their electoral rights, the Interview.ba promoted a more direct and transparent connection with citizens, at the sustainable level.

From the Interview.ba ACCOUNT selected stories with whistleblowers, CSO activists, leaders…

Whistleblower from BiH interviewed by Interview.ba After he was fired from Public Company Utility “Komb” from Bužim, Hamdija Veladžić, started his difficult and uncertain fight for justice. Things started improving after he contacted Anticorruption network Account for assistance. h_p://interview.ba/interview/item/91-b-hamdija- veladzic-b-prijavio-samkorupciju- i-opet-bih-to-uradio

Emir Sendic, whistleblower - Trgocentar Gradacac In many ways, the story of Trgocentar Gradacac is a typical privatization story from the area of former Yugoslavia. However, since the end of privatization process, Emir Sendic and a couple of other of his colleagues from this company have been engaged in a legal battle for return of property rights. They now believe that this is a case

of corruption which involved authorities.

Besim Ajanovic: SDA power elite are narcissists, they do not allow for democratic opinions Besim Ajanovic from Travnik is one of the SDA members in BIH with the longest membership. Currently Mr. Ajanovic fights against his political party, which filed him from the position of the Secretary. As a result of two court rulings he returned to his job. Currently, he leads the team that works to uncover corruption and other unlawful activities in Central Bosnia Canton, publicizing them on the web page uzbunjivaci.info

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Head of the Strategic Board of the Coalition “Pod lupom” Vehid Šehić (Tuzla Forum of Citizens) talking to interview.ba reviewed past election results and political scene after the elections. Is the election process corrupt, and if yes, what would you note as an obvious example? Available at: http://interview.ba/interview/item/2 10-b-vehid-sehic-b-u-bih-izborinikada- nisu-bili-posteni-i-slobodni

An excerpt from the interview with Ervina Turbić, Justicia/Srebrenik, on new trends and partnership relations with government institutions in fight against corruption: “In the beginning they did not take us seriously. However, our persistence lead to this situation where over the last year ACCOUNT network has become participant in a number of very important processed related to fight against corruption, and we have been building partnership relations with authorities which have finally recognized the social significance of civil sector.” h_p://interview.ba/interview/item/141-b- ervin-turbic-b-poli_cki-mocnici-u-potpunos_- kontrolisu-zaposljavanje-u-javnom-sektoru

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Component 4 Free legal assistance to victims of corruption and whistleblowers

Strategic Objective 4 Anticipated Results

Establish an appropriate and effective legal aid 4.1Victims of corruption and whistleblowers to model to protect individuals reporting receive free legal aid to make them more secure corruption and whistleblowers about reporting corruption

One of the key mechanisms for preventing, detecting and sanctioning corruption is through citizens’ reports of corruption cases, who are in most cases afraid of retribution if do so. Since 2012, when the first legal aid team had been established, 75 cases of corruption were reported to the ACCOUNT’s Free Legal Aid Team, out of which 47 were qualified to have elements of corruption and 9 were with positive outcomes.

Free Legal Aid Progress Report. Continuing to track the progress in the free legal aid component, ACCOUNT noted decreased number of reports of corruption received by ACCOUNT’s Free Legal Aid Team. ACCOUNT analyzed the reasons behind this and identified challenges in eroding community trust in justice system. There were also a lot of examples of other actions, when it comes to protection of human rights (including recent public protest in the Republika Srpska entity, or most recent acts within the High Justice and Prosecutor Council) that continued to undermine public trust in law enforcement institutions such as the police, judges, and the public prosecution at the sustainable level, which resulted in the lower achievement rate than typically expected for a 4-year activity.

ACCOUNT attempted to increase the number of corruption cases reported to ACCOUNT’s Free Legal Aid Team in several ways, namely by

(i) strengthening whistleblowing legislations and offering the partner municipalities and partners organizations in the project sectors to jointly work on provision of free legal aid to those reporting corruption in the public sector; (ii) increasing advocacy campaign on protection of whistleblowers in the Republika Srpska entity to direct reporting of corruption to ACCOUNT Free Legal Aid; (iii) advancing partnership with the Centers for Free Legal Aid in the Republika Srpska entity to reduce the burden of this Center when it comes to provision of free legal assistance to victims of corruption and whistleblowers in line with the RS Law on Protection of Whistleblowers.

Free Legal Aid from ACCOUNT Prevented Corruption in Employment Procedure! Within one month (perhaps even less), the Inspectorate of Educational Inspection has confirmed ACCOUNT’s Free Legal Team suspicions regarding corruption in the employment procedure. The Educational Inspector enacted the administrative measure of prohibiting execution and order to remove identified deficiencies.

The case involved reporting of a corruption case alleging that the School Board of the Sarajevo elementary school Fatima Gunic adopted unlawful decision to firstly appoint as an acting director a person who is not 55

eligible (from another school, religious subject teacher) and subsequently established a labour-legal relationship for the same person as a teacher of Bosnian, Croatian and , after the mandate expires. Therefore, after the acting director’s mandate expires he would move to the position of BCS language teacher.

Free Legal Aid Training to the RS Center for Free Legal Aid. ACCOUNT staff worked with the RS Ministry of Justice to develop the program and conduct training for the Centers for Free Legal Aid in the Republika Srpska. Among others, the program included hypothetical examples of internal and external protection of whistleblowers (provision of legal assistance, drafting appeals, legal remedies, etc,) in line with the RS Law on Protection of Whistleblowers, which was presented by the ACCOUNT Free Legal Aid Team.

On June 20, 2018, ACCOUNT in partnership with the RS Ministry of Justice conducted the training for eleven civil servants from the RS Center for Providing Free Legal Assistance (including those from the headquarter in Banja Luka and branches in Trebinje, Doboj, Bijeljina and Eastern Sarajevo) on the role that this Center has in the context of implementation of the RS Law on Whistleblowers Protection.

At the free legal aid training in Banja Luka, June 20, 2018 On-line Registry

ACCOUNT developed the online Free Legal Aid Registry to allow lawyers from the Free Legal Aid to upload the information on legislative and other content relevant to provision of free legal aid to victims of corruption and whistleblowers. During the course of the project, ACCOUNT kept updating the on-line registry and uploading the new content to it. The data base which now includes data for more than 70 reports of corruption will be locked at the end of the project and the ownership of the registry will be transferred to CRMA.

Legal Support to Women Candidates at 2018 October Elections

This was a new intervention within ACCOUNT aimed to ensure: (i) minimization of risks for women candidates reporting cases of violation in electoral processes, and (ii) legal protection of women candidates from these risks. For that, the USAID-funded consortium of four CSOs (Foundation INFOHOUSE, Foundation CURE, Center of Women Rights and Association of Citizens Grahovo) worked to provide free legal support to women candidates who participated in the 2018 General Elections in several ways, by

(i) providing training on electoral legislations; (ii) forming a legal team for provision of free legal aid to women victims of electoral violation; and (iii) promoting legal rights of women politicians in election processes.

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During the course of this one year project activity, three women candidates requested free legal aid for protection of their rights post elections. The free legal aid page was visited 386 times, and 20 candidates contacted the Center for Women Rights via e-mail or telephone.

#takeoffthefalsefaceofpolitics

To mark the beginning of the promotion campaign of the free legal support to women candidates, the Legal Support to Women Candidates Consortium organized the Press Conference in Sarajevo, September 11, 2018. This is the first kind of free legal aid in BiH offered to women candidates reporting violation of their electoral rights. ACCOUNT opened offices for free legal assistance in Zenica and Sarajevo. ACCOUNT also opened the online application and free phone line for women victims reporting any form of violation in

electoral processes. A mobile team was also The representatives from the consortium of CSOs at the Press available. During the course of the activity, Conference in Sarajevo… the public were kept informed on the most frequent violations.

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A short video with contact information on free legal aid to women candidates/politicians BPP za politicarke reporting violation of electoral rights was also 2018_video HQL.wm filmed.

Training Activity. During September 2018, the Legal Support to Women Candidates Consortium conducted intensive training on free legal aid mechanism for women political candidates in the 2018 General Elections. More than 50 women political candidates attended the training sessions in Tuzla (August 30, 2018), Sarajevo (September 11, 2018) and Banja Luka (September 26, 2018). The training discussed electoral legislation, legal framework, as well as free legal aid available to the candidates in the election process.

During the training with women candidates in Tuzla, Sarajevo, Banja Luka …

"Women are almost completely invisible on the BiH political scene and are often being deceived. Although they appear on the candidate lists, sometimes the parties decide that they be replaced by their male colleagues as they find them more fitting "- says Jadranka Miličević of the CURE Foundation.

Anti-corruption Forum of Women Politicians. In the political discourse that has not been optimally conducive and political parties manifested resistance to support the project idea in an expected manner, the Legal Support to Women Candidates Consortium organized the public Forum for women candidates in the 2018 BiH General Elections on violation of women candidates /politicians rights (November 11, 2018). The Forum discussed the position of women in politics, the Electoral Law, gender equality, and the outcomes of the training. The Forum also presented the analysis titled "Where the women stand in the elections in BiH" which showed that women did not succeed in improving the situation with assignment of mandates compared to the 2014 General Elections.

Public Advocacy. The Legal Support to Women Candidates Consortium also worked with the women civil society organizations to conduct several advocacy campaigns to promote women candidates’ rights in pre and post-election processes with a view to increase public awareness of electoral violations as well as of available tools and mechanisms for women candidates to protect their legal rights. In this way, the Consortium sent a message to women candidates from all political parties in BiH that they are not alone and that there are ways for them to change their political statuses within the political parties.

Case to the point: Indira Durmić of SDA Tuzla is leaving the party: 30 years of life is too long for a party that has not done anything…. On August 22, the candidate for BiH Parliament in the upcoming General Elections, M.Sc. Indira Durmić, a teacher of 58

Bosnian/Serbian/Croatian languages at the Secondary Traffic School in Tuzla, informed the SDA General Committee in Tuzla and the President of the SDA Tuzla Board Committee that she had decided to pull out of the campaign.

"When I accepted the candidacy, I warned the party's leaders that I would react in case of any speculations or intra-party lobbying… I want to clarify this situation because there are people who are constantly working in their personal interest, not for a country or for a wider community. Besides, I do not want to go out to my students and keep telling them about certain standards and principles, and to live a completely different life.”- stated professor Durmić for the interview.ba

Street Actions. As the General Elections in October 2018 dominated the political scene in BiH, the Legal Support to Women Candidates Consortium team directed a large proportion of its activities to increasing public awareness of the election results and still unactable small number of women candidates’ elected seats at all levels. The results showed that women won only 7 seats in the BiH Parliamentary Assembly, 25 seats in the FBiH Parliament, while 14 women received seats in the RS National Assembly, which was lower than expected. To raise public awareness on outstanding issues concerning the higher- level results when it comes to election of women candidates at all levels, in December 2018, the Consortium conducted several promotion activities, one of which was the street action carried under the slogan #skinilaznolicepolitike (#takeoffthefalsefaceofpolitics), which simultaneously took place in Sarajevo, Zenica, Livno and Bijeljina.

The Legal Support to Women Candidates Consortium Team during the street action in Sarajevo

More about this campaign can be watched at: http://www.viphd.ba/2018/12/07/sarajevo-ulicna-akcija-skini- lazno-lice-politike-obiljezavanje-antikoruptivne-sedmice-u-organizaciji-fondacije-infohouse-i-partnerskih- organizacija/

Additionally, the Consortium spoke on social media, shared facebook pages, and made visible the campaign material in order to raise awareness around the International Anti-corruption Day all by using the hashtags #borbaprotivkorupcijepočinjeod and #skinilažnolicepolitike in order to reach a maximum outreach. News

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(34) about Women Candidates activities were published and broadcast in 29 electronic and print media reports. Particularly interesting were the news on Serbian BBC and b92 : https://www.bbc.com/serbian/lat/balkan-45745892

The Consortium conducted another major street action in March 2019 aimed to call the public attention on violation of legal rights of women candidates in the election processes and what are the consequences if they don’t fight against it. The campaign was conducted in partnership with the BiH Gender Agency, Network for Peacebuilding, BiH Women Network and Initiative of Women Citizens for Constitutional Changes.

Data Analysis of Women Candidates Mandates Post-elections. Since multiply political party system arrived to BiH more than 20 years ago, the number of women in politics have been steadily declining. The most recent data analysis of women candidates’ mandates in the 2018 election processes, clearly showed those declining trends, when it comes to gaining seats in parliaments and other government offices at all levels.

Furthermore, according to the BiH Central Election Commission reports, the 2018 Election pool registered 7488 male and female candidates at all levels. A comparative analysis showed that the 2018 lists had 41% of women candidates (3,070) - the highest ever- while the 2014 candidate pool had 35% of women candidates. This increase is not surprising as 40% of female candidates represents the gender balance grounded on the BiH Election Law.

The Consortium conducted the 2018 General elections survey which showed that out of 223 seats in parliaments only 44 seats or 20% were elected to women which is 6% less than in the previous mandate. The figures do not cheat, and it is only a reflection of the deeper problem, when it comes to political parties' support to women candidates.

The Consortium selected several lessons from the analysis of these results. First, per an anonymous women candidate, it appeared that there was an increased political violence against women during the 2018 elections. Second, tracking the numbers, while male candidates continued to account for the majority of holders of the candidates lists, women candidates continued to lack a support from the leaders of political parties, when it comes to running for parliaments and other government offices and winning over the male candidates in seats at all levels. Additionally, the findings indicated that the political parties were running up against assumptions that voters have about what political leadership looks like, battling an election archetype where men are dominant. As a result, women candidates were frequently asked to explain why they believe they could win over male candidates, which caused enormous, unfair and destructive pressure on them, and increased concerns from voters that women could win. Additionally, the political parties were also more likely to vote for a candidate who was not in their own political party when the candidate from their party was female.

One of the main points that was found, which probably explains a lack of women’s interests to report violence of their electoral rights, is that political parties viewed women’s claims as less credible than claims made by men.

While supporting legal rights of women candidates in the 2018 election processes, the Consortium discovered many other factors which discouraged position of women candidates in political races.

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Given that, the Consortium witnessed a several messages from the women candidates.

- Women candidates are on the lists only because of the legal quota of 40% - Women candidates are not visible or are very little visible during the election campaign - Women candidates builds visibility only with their own engagement - Regardless of the number of votes, women candidates receive no positions in power

While the Consortium progressed well in increasing public awareness of the position of women candidates in political races, the project identified a notable absence of systematic approach of political parties, when it comes to representation of women in elected seats. The following project main recommendations lead to:

1. Supporting increased legal protection of women candidates 2. Developing amendments to the BiH Election Law requiring 50% of gender quota 2. Encouraging women to engage in politics through increased awareness-raising activities 3. Encouraging women's political effectiveness trough engagement of gender-equality CSOs to exchange information on election practices through seminars, roundtables with members of parliaments, political parties 4. Improving voter education by familiarizing voters on issues of women participation 5. Including increased number of women candidates in political parties / coalitions 6. Supporting improved observations of elections

Legal Support to Women Candidates Legacies: Women who were active in public political life, who managed to win a better position on candidate lists, due to some deals within or inter political parties, often lost seats in government offices at all levels. After that, they either gave up on further political runs, or were satisfied with the marginal positions in the institutions of the executive and administration, which were without real influence. The Consortium filmed short videos with women candidates/politicians and representatives from CSOs in Tuzla, Sarajevo, Zenica and Grahovo who decided to tell more about their experiences. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPUHjEN3J1c&feature=youtu.be (Tuzla) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRCt3EftNT8 (Sarajevo) https://youtu.be/SDnwQ7wSCrM (Zenica) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzsukrMhk14(Grahovo)

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MONITORING, EVALUATION AND LEARNING (MEL) PLAN INDICATOR DATA

ACCOUNT aimed to achieve four main results as expressed in the ACCOUNT Monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) Plan:

1) Increased CSOs’ involvement and input regarding anticorruption legislation 2) Strengthened CSOs’ capacity for in-depth monitoring, data processing, synthesis and analysis of corruption in selected sectors 3) Strengthened public awareness of the problem of corruption and public engagement in anti corruption initiatives 4) An appropriate and effective legal aid model established to protect individuals reporting corruption and whistleblowers established

The progress in achieving results during the Lifetime of the Activity was monitored against eight Indicators. The table below presents summary of achieved results (targets vs actuals):

Indicator Year Target Actual

2016 17 15 3. Number of CSOs receiving USG assistance 2017 21 19 engaged in advocacy interventions for 2018 21 17 sectoral issues 2019 21 14 Life of Activity 21 33 2016 12 1 4. Number of policy proposals submitted to 2017 23 25 executive governments and parliaments with 2018 30 33 citizens’ input 2019 40 65 Life of Activity 105 124 2016 20 35 5. Number of policy recommendations 2017 20 19 provided by Watchdog teams, Sector groups 2018 20 22 and Monitoring Teams 2019 20 19 Life of Activity 80 95 2016 5 0 6. Number of Monitoring reports on sector- 2017 5 6 based corruption 2018 5 7 2019 5 9 Life of Activity 20 21 2016 250 321

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8. Number of investigative reports prepared 2017 300 544 by Media partners (mechanisms for external 2018 385 392 oversight of public resource use supported 2019 415 473 by USG assistance) Life of Activity 1350 1730 2016 10 0 9. Number of corruption cases reported to 2017 20 22 the Legal Team of ACCOUNT 2018 30 20 2019 40 5 Life of Activity 100 47 2016 20% 13% 10. Percentage of corruption cases with 2017 20% 13% positive outcome 2018 20% 21% 2019 20% 50% Life of Activity 20% 17% 2016 5 15 11. Number of corruption cases reported to 2017 10 15 the Legal Team for which legal assistance was 2018 15 19 provided 2019 20 4 Life of Activity 50 53

Note: Actuals for FY1 had been reported based on the MEL Plan which were accurate at that moment i.e. FY1 data had been reported based on Draft version of the MEL from November 2016, while final version of MEL was approved on March 31, 2017. Also, due to revision of the MEL Plan, and changes in the definitions as well as units of measure of indicators (December 28, 2017), the Activity exceeded or bellowed targets in some years. This particularly had impact on Actuals for Indicator 9, Indicator 10, and Indicator 11.

Detailed and disaggregated data, compared to baseline data, for all indicators included in ACCOUNT’s MEL Plan is presented in Annex 1-Activity Tracking Table.

BEST PRACTICIES, LESSONS LEARNED & RECOMMENDATIONS

Thanks to the extensive assistance and support from ACCOUNT during the previous four years, the great number of anti-corruption CSOs now possesses a comprehensive understanding, knowledge and skills to independently continue to work on anti-corruption reforms and strengthening anti-corruption mechanisms in several ways, by improving anti-corruption legislations, developing anti-corruption policy documents, conducting public awareness campaigns on fight against corruption, monitoring and reporting on implementation of adopted anti-corruption measures, etc. The conducted CSOs coordination mechanism as well as implemented mechanism of selecting and establishing sectorial monitoring teams and sector groups, can be apply in new anti-corruption initiatives and programs.

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A wide range of innovative, engaging, carefully designed and continuously conducted public campaigns were proven as a good practice to raise public awareness on necessity to fight against corruption. The following campaigns can be used as a examples of best practices:

• In case of emergency break glass! - As part of promotion of the national Law on protection of whistleblowers, the representatives of 69 national institutions were presented with appropriate promotional material on protection of whistleblowers' rights – whistles glass boxes. In this way the representatives of ACCOUNT members, led by JUSTICIA Association, had tried to encourage civil servants to report corruption. This whistleblower protection campaign was conducted in December 2017. • Corruption/Integrity Detector - To increase public awareness of phenomena of corruption as well as importance of preventive measures to fight against corruption in the education sector, during the implementation of the December 2017 anti-corruption campaign, ACCOUNT'S Network member CROA developed and administered a quiz named “Corruption/Integrity Detector” to measure the public perception of corruption. Promotion soaps with the label “Stay clean and support education without corruption” were distributed during this action. • The best art and literary works of students - On the occasion of marking Anti-Corruption Day 2017, the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption and Coordination of the Fight against Corruption and IP IH had in the BiH Parliamentary Assembly's building organized the ceremony to award prizes for the best art and literary works of elementary and secondary school students in BiH in the theme “Fair/Unfair”. • Together in fight against corruption! - In order to contribute to the strengthening of public awareness of the problem of corruption and inform more citizens about the necessity for fighting against corruption, public presentations of monitoring activities were accompanied by FB quiz games “Together in fight against corruption”. Citizens were engaged in answering to quiz questions about corruption and therefore winning symbolic gift (ACCOUNT’s T-shirt, cap, umbrella, bag, pencil, etc). This campaign was conducted in December 2018. • Comics “Businessmen patriots” – Based on TV Documentary „Pandora Box“, IP CRMA published comics “Businessmen patriots”. Exibition of comics was opened in Sarajevo, Mostar and Banja Luka as part of the activities conducted to mark the Corruption Awareness Week. The film and the comics show how billions of BiH citizens' convertible marks were drawn out through the Indirect Taxation Administration.

The influence of politics and economic interests in media has been obvious for quite some time and various international organizations and institutions warned that due to these influences and pressures free speech in BiH is jeopardized. Moreover, less and less journalists decide to investigate certain topic either for the fear for their existence or because the media outlets simply refuse to run such stories. ACCOUNT team recognized early that there are still journalists who have the courage, skill and strong professional ethics and standards to investigate stories of true public interest instead of merely satisfying the interest of public. Hence, the ACCOUNT Investigative Journalism Award was set up aiming to encourage individual journalists to engage with investigative journalism and to promote this type of journalism. Throughout the years, ACCOUNT have witnessed that TV shows dedicated to investigative journalism have been canceled from public TV stations, that investigative journalism on radio stations in virtually non- existent and even magazines that have existed and investigated different topics in hardest of times have 64

shut their doors. However, individual journalists were still there and still willing to expose corruption and organized crime and most of them found a new medium – internet. That is why it is particularly important that the ACCOUNT Investigative Journalism Award recognizes and awards the work of individual journalists in order to encourage then, gives them support and somewhat alleviates economic insecurity of journalists. The ACCOUNT Media Pool is a network of media outlets who are willing to engage with investigative journalism in a professional and ethical manner. Because of their willingness to report on issues of corruption, irregularities and organized crime, these media outlets suffer financially. Thus, through small grants, ACCOUNT enable them to be financially independent and continue their work in exposing issues of public interest. The number of media outlets in ACCOUNT Media Pool grew every year, from eight in Y1 to 20 in year three since it was started. The ACCOUNT not only supported members of the Media pool financially (through sub-grant program), but IP CRMA also provided them with a number of professional trainings and they supported each other by sharing stories, giving more visibility to one another. Media pool’ members’ stories were also published on Žurnal, increasing the overall number of people reached and informed of the corruption affairs. Additionally, functioning as a network of media outlets reduces the possibility to extort pressure over one media – if one media is being put under pressure, 19 other will continue to cover the story. The synergy between anti-corruption CSOs, Free Legal Aid, and the RS Ministry of Justice on development and implementation of: the RS Whistleblowing Law, the new generation of the Anti-corruption Strategy (2018-2022), plans of integrity for the RS public institutions, as well as education of public servants from the RS Center for Free Legal aid on protection of whistleblowers distilled from the project, was successfully tested in practices. Ervina Turbić, JUSTICIA/Srebrenik, the lead organization of the WSG, spoke to the interview.ba on new trends and partnership relations with government institutions in fight against corruption: “In the beginning they did not take us seriously. However, our persistence lead to this situation where over the last year ACCOUNT network has become participant in a number of very important processed related to fight against corruption, and we have been building partnership relations with authorities which have finally recognized the social significance of civil sector.” More can be read at: http://interview.ba/interview/item/141-b-ervin-turbic-b-poli_cki-mocnici-u-potpunos_-kontrolisu- zaposljavanje-u-javnom-sektoru When it comes to recommendations, they can be summarized in several key built points: • Continue expanding the CSOs’ anti-corruption expertise to build on achieved ACCOUNT’s results and credibility gained, including increasing cohesion between the different anti-corruption interventions implementing by different CSOs • Support further CSOs efforts to organize and conduct anti-corruption policy advocacy and monitoring activities in order to increase quantity and quality of civil- society efforts that stimulate engagement of citizens and raise public awareness on corruption • Consider streamlining support for activities focusing on in-depth implementation of policies and procedures developed within ACCOUNT Activity, in cooperation with governments and public institutions • Continue support to independent media for providing evidence-based reporting on corruption • Continue providing support to free legal-aid providers, especially non-governmental providers, until public institutions can improve their public image

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SUCCESS STORIES

Ticinovic scores victory against corruption

Non-transparent public procurement awards are common in Bosnia and Herzegovina. More than 75 percent of all public procurements were conducted behind closed doors, through direct negotiations. In 2015, however, one company that fought the corrupt process finally won damages from a local government.

For years, Julijana and Bernard Ticinovic of Livno municipality fought the system alone: After receiving three dismissals from three entities, they got help through ACCOUNT’s Free Legal aid Team and, after a six-year legal fight, they prevailed. In March 2017, the state Office of Procurement Review ruled that Livno must pay 2,000 BAM in damages to the Ticinovic’s company, Ening, for not giving the company a chance to bid on a project to develop architectural plans for certain public lands. Instead, the contract for the project was awarded in secret.

“After six years of legal battle and 2,000 BAM in compensation, I can’t say that we benefited from this, but we feel some kind of satisfaction. This fine, although very small, is very important because, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, you are not really seen as guilty until you have to pay a penalty,” said Bernard.

Zurnal revealed fraud by Minister

In late October 2017, Zurnal’s journalists revealed the fraud by BH Minister Darinko Mihaljevic. Three of his children were awarded scholarships in the neighboring Croatia by misrepresenting the incomes of their parents. Mihaljevic’s children received scholarships for socially vulnerable university students although the monthly income of their parents is around 4,500 BAM. Apart from the scholarships, Mihaljevic’s children also fraudulently received accommodation in the student dormitory. Zurnal’s revelation alarmed the public and led to concrete results – Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Croatia opened an investigation against Mihaljevic and the Ministry of Education of Croatia took away the scholarships from Mihaljevic’s children. The amount that they did receive was reimbursed by Mihaljevic. Zurnal’s revelation of the “Scholarship Affair” was taken over by more than 30 different media outlets in BiH and Croatia and started a wide spread public debate on the moral downfall of the BIH politicians. After media pressure, minister Mihaljevic resigned from the position of the President of the Municipal Board of HDZ Livno.

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Journalist investigation launched a series of diploma-proofing initiatives Without being present in a single class, in only seventeen days, during holidays, Žurnal journalist graduated at medical high school in Sanski Most. With very good grades (en. B). She submitted the documents on December 20, 2018. Mediator asked for 2,500 BAM for an urgent diploma. She received the certified diploma, certificates for all four grades of high school on January 3, 2019. In her own name. The diploma is recognized in entire BiH and European Union. This journalistic investigation action was published on January 4, 2019. Article “For 17 days we have obtained a diploma from the secondary medical school’’ caused great public attention in BiH, the countries of the region and the EU, particularly in Germany. Following this research story, the Una-Sana Cantonal Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation against the school that issued the diploma, and Germany has made the decision not to accept diplomas from BiH acquired through retraining. journalists Azra Omerovic and Avdo Avdić won the second prize of the "Duško Jovanović" Foundation for the “Best investigative story on the territory of the Ex – Yugoslavia.

Free Legal Aid from ACCOUNT Prevented Corruption in School Employment Procedure! A teacher from Sarajevo, who wanted to stay anonymous, and who we will call Hope for the needs of this story, has been working for almost 20 years as a professor of and literature. “Being a professor is God’s gift and for me it is a privilege to teach the new generation of students every day“, said Professor Hope. During a short meeting with Professor Hope, she told us that over the past 20 years she has been going to work with only one wish: to share with her students as much knowledge and experiences as possible, and to enjoy in their small and big successes. But, like in all others, there are exceptions in this work. The privilege of transferring knowledge, says Professors Hope, is unfortunately abusive. Corruption in the education system becomes a serious problem, which affects the quality of education in schools and universities around the world, and our country is not exempted from that. On the contrary. The results of the survey showed that a fifth of the respondents witnessed corruption but did not report it. Mostly because of fear or distrust. For Professor Hope, a fear was not a barrier. Free Legal Aid that operates within ACCOUNT, reported an attempt of law violation in the case of Fatima Gunić Elementary School in Sarajevo, which is a case in point. 67

Professor Hope claimed to sought for years the right address to report corruption she had seen. Then she finally found it. "Over the past couple of years I've been trying many addresses, but without any results. The inspection has tied hands or it just seems like that? I’ve decided to try ACCOUNT’s Free Legal Aid because I’ve read about ACCOUNT’s assistance with corruption reports that had positive outcomes”, she said.

Blowing the Whistle on Corruption in Republika Srpska New whistleblower law protects entity employees from retribution

Citizens in BiH cite corruption by public officials and institutions as the second worst problem in the country, next to the lack of jobs. The corruption occurs secretly, behind closed doors. But it does not occur invisibly. Sometimes there are witnesses. Often those witnesses are afraid to come forward to say what they’ve seen. But in RS, one of two entities in BiH, they can now come forward without the risk of retribution. They are protected by the new whistleblower law. Corruption depletes a government’s ability to help its citizens, and it saps citizens’ faith in their government. Stopping it requires a commitment by the entire country — leaders and citizens both. Whistleblowing is one of the most direct methods of detecting and exposing corruption – whether it’s bribery, fraud, theft of public funds, or other acts of wrongdoing.

As in many underdeveloped countries, corruption is pervasive and corrosive in BiH. It impedes internal development and undermines the country’s potential for EU accession. Public officials often operate public sector institutions in BiH like private companies, and the institutions are prone to corrupt patronage and nepotism. Public spending is not transparent and is often arranged in secret. Employees in public institutions who uncover corruption may want to speak out – to ‘blow the whistle’ - - but fear retaliation if they do. They need legal protection that will allow them to be good public servants and stewards of BiH resources without the high personal risk.

Before June 2017, there was only one whistleblower protection law in force in BiH: the state law. (USAID’s political party and anti-corruption programs collaborated to champion adoption of a Whistleblower Law at the state level in 2014; see story here). But the state law applies to only 10 percent of all public institutions and public servants in BiH (68 institutions that employ 38,620 employees). Public employees at the entity and local levels are not covered by the BiH law.

“Since passage of the BiH Law on Whistleblowers, APIK received a few requests for granting protectice status to a person who reported corruption. However, it is important that similar mechanisms are applied at the entity level,” the director of APIK said. On June 15, 2017, however, protection expanded with passage of a new law that advances whistleblower protection in the National Assembly of the RS.

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