Guidelines with concrete steps for strengthening institutional integrity and accountability in the prevention and fight against corruption were presented. The importance of cooperation between citizens, institutions, and civil society in the fight for a more transparent society was emphasized.
On January 16, in North Mitrovica, the NGO Aktiv organized the presentation of the “Handbook on Prevention of Corruption” developed in cooperation with the Agency for Prevention of Corruption and other partners, with the support of the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Bureau (INL) and the U.S. Embassy in Pristina.
The speakers at the event included Miodrag Milićević, Executive Director of NGO Aktiv, Yll Buleshkaj, Director of the Agency for Prevention of Corruption, Sanja Vuković, activist and professor, and Dušan Radaković from the Advocacy Center for Democratic Culture (ACDC). Representatives of civil society, local and international institutions, and activists were also in attendance.
As the authors emphasized, the handbook contains concrete steps and recommendations for institutions, organizations, and individuals with the aim of reducing corruption and strengthening ethics in work.
Miodrag Milićević, Executive Director of NGO Aktiv, explained that the handbook was designed as a model for improving mechanisms in the fight against corruption, with a focus on cooperation with key institutions such as the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption and the Information and Privacy Agency. “The handbook emerged as a need to find a model that encompasses specific segments of the fight against corruption. It includes some of the key elements that aim to address societal anomalies related to corrupt practices,” said Milićević.
Activist Sanja Vuković emphasized that corruption is a “severe societal illness” that affects all segments of the community. As one of the authors, she explained that the handbook offers guidance for institutions, civil society, and citizens, stressing the importance of defining what is and what is not corruption. “The handbook relies on international conventions and the domestic legal framework, but we also call for the development of a national anti-corruption strategy,” said Vuković, adding that the roles of all actors, including whistleblowers, are clearly defined.
Yll Buleshkaj, Director of the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption, highlighted that preventing corruption is a shared responsibility of institutions, civil society, and citizens. “Corruption threatens justice and democracy, and through this handbook, we provide tools for fair governance,” said Buleshkaj. Citing Plato and Cicero, he pointed out the profound consequences of corruption for society. “For instance, Plato said that corruption is a disease that destroys the soul of society, while Cicero said there is no greater enemy to a society than corruption. Therefore, we can say that no other phenomenon can harm justice and democracy more than corruption,” added Buleshkaj.
Dušan Radaković, Executive Director of the Advocacy Center for Democratic Culture, highlighted the everyday challenges in combating corruption. “Corruption will always exist, but citizens must contribute to increasing the transparency and integrity of institutions,” said Radaković, adding that sophisticated mechanisms in Kosovo offer opportunities to improve the fight.
The event also highlighted the ABER application, a digital platform for reporting corruption, which makes it easier for citizens to report cases and contributes to greater transparency.
Participants shared experiences and emphasized the need to continue the joint fight against corruption, particularly in municipalities with a Serb majority.
This event was organized as part of the project “Improving Transparency and Rule of Law in Serbian-Majority Communities,” implemented by NGO Aktiv and the Advocacy Center for Democratic Culture (ACDC), in cooperation and support of the Agency for Prevention of Corruption, with financial backing from the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Bureau (INL) and the U.S. Embassy in Pristina.
You can find the complete Handbook HERE.
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