Skopje, 14 December 2022 (MIA) – Transparency of institutions must be a priority for all of us. Only by improving transparency will we strengthen accountability and control. I have no illusions that we will completely defeat corruption, but we must show visible and concrete results, create conditions for the rule of law and equality of institutions, said Deputy Prime Minister in charge of good governance policies Slavica Grkovska.   

Grkovska told Wednesday’s Regional Anti-Corruption Conference in Skopje that corruption knows no borders, nor can it be treated in isolation.  

“There is no society, no institution completely immune to corruption. The case of the European Parliament vice-president shows that it is not a challenge faced by a single institution from a single country, it is not a challenge of a single region, but an international problem that will never be completely eradicated. It is a fact that there are many examples of corruption everywhere, but it is also a fact that every country is differently prepared and responds differently to such phenomena,” Grkovska said.  

She pointed out that her office is focused on promoting transparency, because it is a major tool to fight corruption and organized crime. The goal is, she noted, to ensure full transparency, particularly about the way public money is spent.  

Grkovska stressed that citizens’ trust in the institutions needs to be strengthened, and this can only be achieved by proving that professional, efficient and responsible work stands in the way of crime and corruption.  

“I think that everyone will take a political maturity test now. The future of our societies is at stake. It is simply no longer possible to continue the way we have so far,” Grkovska added.  

She noted that since the end of June last year when government officials from the Western Balkan countries adopted in Ohrid a regional road map for the fight against corruption and illegal financial flows to quickly follow the implementation of the UN Convention against Corruption, mutual cooperation has intensified and become significantly more productive.  

According to her, the need for and importance of efficient use of international and regional networks for law enforcement and judicial cooperation is increasingly noted as a major tool to fight corruption and organized crime.  

“I am particularly pleased that in this whole process we have close cooperation with the civil society sector. On the one hand, it is a corrective to the government, and on the other hand, it can make a significant contribution to this common battle of ours with its expertise and significance. There is still a lot of work ahead of us,” said Grovska.  

According to the Deputy PM, work must be done to strengthen all possible capacities, strengthen all institutions responsible for dealing with corruption and organized crime, and create professional, responsible and accountable institutions.  

The purpose of Wednesday’s conference is to promote regional cooperation of the Western Balkan countries in the fight against corruption and illegal finances in the region, in the context of the Berlin Process.  

In addition to top Western Balkan officials, representatives of key anti-corruption institutions are also attending the conference.