Skopje, 2 March 2026 (MIA) — Not only are the security and environmental sectors highly exposed to corruption risk but they also play an important role in the European integration process, Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative director Albert Hani said during the anticorruption organization's training held Monday for police and Ministry of Interior staff focusing on corruption risk assessment and corruption proofing of legislation.

Hani said that, although the organization's headquarters are in Sarajevo, the objective was to contribute to the fight against corruption across the entire region. He also welcomed the cooperation with the national anticorruption commission and the Ministry of Justice.

"We are here to implement activities for education and raising awareness about the fight against corruption, especially by pointing out risks in the security and environmental sectors, two sectors that have been identified as vulnerable," Hani said.

He recalled that the organization had previously worked on assessing risks in culture and education. Fighting against corruption in the security and environmental sectors he said was particularly important because of their key role in the EU integration process.

In response to a reporter's question about whether raising awareness was an effective enough mechanism, Hani said no single institution was able to tackle corruption alone.

"Corruption is a phenomenon that exists everywhere," Hani said, adding that the Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative united nine countries from Southeast Europe. 

"Literally all countries face this challenge. Mechanisms exist. This is why we are here: to help countries develop mechanisms that will create conditions rendering corrupt agreements more expensive, more difficult, unprofitable and, of course, unrewarding," he said.

Founded in 2000, the Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative is an intergovernmental organization dedicated to supporting anticorruption efforts in South East Europe through regional cooperation, knowledge sharing and best practices among its nine member states: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania and Serbia.

It focuses on strengthening anticorruption legislation and preventing corruption through trainings designed to strengthen the capacity of public institutions, law enforcement and civil society. mr/