Bosnia and Herzegovina is facing serious challenges in its fight against corruption, according to a new report from the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO).
The findings from the Fifth Evaluation Round are particularly concerning: of the 25 recommendations given, only two have been fully implemented.
While 15 have seen some progress, eight remain neglected altogether.
Critical Weaknesses in Integrity and Transparency
The report highlights several critical weaknesses in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s approach to integrity and transparency.
For one, the nation lacks robust integrity policies for its top executives and does not have a comprehensive anti-corruption strategy at the state level.
This gap is compounded by weak regulations surrounding conflicts of interest, raising red flags about ethical governance.
Furthermore, transparency in legislative processes is alarmingly low, and there are no systematic integrity assessments for senior government officials.
To address these pressing issues, the Council of Ministers has been given a deadline of May 31, 2026, to provide updates on the status of these recommendations.
International Scrutiny and Governance Reforms
This assessment comes on the heels of the European Commission’s 2022 enlargement report, which underscored the rampant corruption issue in Bosnia and Herzegovina and called for urgent improvements in enforcement mechanisms.
Public trust in governmental institutions is also waning, as revealed by Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index.
EU Membership Prospects
This compliance report is particularly timely, as Bosnia and Herzegovina is striving for European Union membership.
In March 2024, EU leaders tentatively agreed to begin accession negotiations with the nation, but this is contingent upon visible advancements in crucial governance reforms, particularly those targeting corruption.
The report underscores an essential truth: significant reforms are not just necessary for the country’s integrity but also to alleviate the international scrutiny it currently faces.
Without meaningful progress, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s path toward EU integration could be obstructed, making the stakes high for all involved.
Source: Jurist