Meeting at the BiH Agency for prevention of corruption and coordination of combating corruption

Within the project „Introducing anti-corruption measures at Universities in BiH“, funded by DEU BiH through IPA fund, Vesta Association's Project staff met on 21 January 2012 in Sarajevo with heads of the state Agency for prevention of corruption and coordination of combating corruption. Representatives of Vesta Association briefly presented the project so that Agency's representatives are aware of project activities and their objective.

They emphasised that, at present, a research is being conducted at the Universities of Tuzla and Banja Luka, aimed at mapping forms of corruption in higher education. Representatives of the Agency were interested in receiving the research report, which will be useful to the Agency too, as a relevant indicator of young people's perception of corruption, given that the research covers two big Universities, in both Entities, and that the number of respondents represents a large research sample.

Director of the Agency, Mr Sead Lisak, explained the framework competencies and objectives of the Agency, and expressed interest in cooperation on this project, and future projects. The Agency reports directly to the BiH Parliament, and a 9-member Commission is overseeing the Agency's work. The Agency will sign MoUs with public institutions, and act on the basis of recommendations, lobbying, supporting advocacy etc. The Agency is planning to ensure that public institutions produce their respective Integrity Plans, following a methodology which will be designed by the Agency. However, all these activities can be implemented only when the Agency receives an adequate technical and budgetary support.