Transparency International in BiH presents 13 databases that help uncover corruption

Through these platforms, media, civil society organizations, activists and all interested citizens can find out how public money is spent and how much of it goes to companies linked to elected officials, as nearly 36 percent of those who, after the general elections, reported ownership in private companies have business dealings with the state, TI BiH said in a statement.

The Public Officials Registry reveals more than 300 political leaders holding multiple positions or heading associations financed from the budget, thereby directly violating existing conflict of interest laws. The Concessions Registry provides a broader picture of the management of public resources and politically connected investors, while other databases help uncover their links with heads of institutions, public companies and agencies.

On separate platforms, TI BiH has also published data on the transparency of judicial institutions and their results in the fight against corruption in terms of the number of investigations, indictments and convictions for corruption.

The extent to which the system is closed and institutions obstruct oversight is best illustrated by data from the Judiciary Index, according to which as many as 35 percent of courts and prosecutor’s offices violated the legal deadline for responding to requests for free access to information, 46 percent of courts do not publish first-instance verdicts, and 85 percent of prosecutor’s offices conceal plea agreements.

In addition to hiding their work from citizens, TI BiH states that the judiciary is characterized by the fact that half of the prosecutor’s offices in BiH do not conduct any investigations into high-level corruption, which represents a serious blow to the rule of law and the culture of accountability.

“For all these reasons, it is necessary to launch a broader public debate on these issues, which was also the reason for organizing the conference ‘Citizens, Tools and Open Data: How to Access Information of Public Importance,’ held today in Sarajevo by Transparency International in Bosnia and Herzegovina (TI BiH). The conference served as an introduction to the TI BiH Expo – a fair of databases and tools developed with the aim of enabling easier access to public information, which is key to preventing corruption. That this is a fundamental issue for the European path was emphasized by Age Sandal Moller, Ambassador of Denmark to BiH.”

Moller stressed that transparency and access to information for citizens and the media are essential prerequisites of any democratic society.

“Open data not only strengthens trust in institutions, but is also a key tool in the fight against corruption and a driver of economic growth. Denmark is a country based on trust in institutions, and the fight against corruption is essential on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s EU path. Our support aims to encourage the efforts of civil society, whose watchdog role is absolutely necessary,” the ambassador said.

The Delegation of the European Union to BiH emphasized that access to information of public importance is crucial for empowering citizens in a democracy.

“It is therefore essential for BiH to establish a fair and efficient mechanism for monitoring the implementation of laws guaranteeing free access to public information, ensuring impartial legal remedies and imposing sanctions. The European Union will continue to advocate cooperation between public institutions, civil society and the media in order to achieve this,” said Aurelie Valtat, Head of the Section for European Integration, Political Affairs, Press and Information at the EU Delegation to BiH.

In order to facilitate access to information and break the “wall of silence,” TI BiH has, in addition to the aforementioned data, made public through various platforms information on the operations and governance structures of public institutions and companies, the allocation of public funds to non-profit organizations, data on the prosecution of corruption and transparency of the judiciary, monitoring of anti-corruption reforms, as well as various tools for overseeing the allocation of public funds, strengthening institutional integrity and the accountability of holders of the highest public offices.