The Sarajevo Canton Public Procurement Register was presented Friday by the head of OSCE Mission to BiH Kathleen Kavalec and Sweedish Ambassador to BiH Johanna Strömquist who said it will enable the research necessary for the prevention and detection of corruption in public procurement.

“The new public procurement database will enhance transparency in this area and lead to the detection of irregularities in the process. This is important because the procurement process is prone to corruption. In 2020, public institutions and companies in the Sarajevo Canton performed about 10,000 public procurement procedures and it is important to ensure responsible spending of public funds in the interest of all citizens,” Said the head of the OSCE Mission Kathleen Kavalec.

Swedish Ambassador to BiH Johanna Strömquist said that public servants must be responsible for spending public funds, which are citizens’ funds.

„The fight against corruption is the key to the progress of society, and it is one of the 14 EU priorities for BiH to become a candidate state,” said the ambassador of Sweden, the country that chairs the OSCE in 2021.

The head of the Anti-Corruption Office in the Sarajevo Canton, Erduan Kafedzic, said the office, with the help of the OSCE, had developed the strongest information system in the region when it comes to fighting corruption.

“A few days ago, we determined that there are indications that the laws on public procurement have been violated in primary and secondary education. This is still being verified. This is a message to all those conducting public procurements that we are monitoring them closely,” Kafedzic noted.

The head of the Office for the Fight against Corruption also announced regular public reports on corruption.