Belgrade, 5 August 2019 - Earlier this year, our organisation teamed up with Bureau for Social Research (BIRODI) to develop the "Local Anti-Corruption Plans - Frequently Asked Questions and Answers" document. The final document is now published (in Serbian) and available for download . 

 

The purpose of this document is to provide answers and solutions for gaps and problems observed during the ongoing development and implementation of local anti-corruption plans (LAP) in the Republic of Serbia. 

This document provides answers to principle questions, followed with answers to dilemmas that emerge during LAP development, during the selection and functioning of the Commission for the selection of an Independent Monitoring Body assigned to oversee the implementation of the LAP, then to issues related to the election of members of Independent Monitoring Body and to questions about the establishment and the commencement of work of the Independent Monitoring Body. In the end, the document clarifies the dilemmas related to the selection of the authority or public officer to be assigned with LAP coordination at the local self-government level.  

Production of this document was one of the activities undertaken within a broader project that aims to improve the accountability of authorities at the national and local levels. More information on this project are available here. More information on local anti-corruption plans are available here. 

Nis, 30 June 2019 - Second of several "Integrity plans in institutions of the social policy system with competencies in cases of trafficking in human beings and in cases of partner or domestic violence" trainings took place from 27 - 30 June in Nis. Another group of 10 women activists from south and south-eastern parts of Serbiа learned about integrity plans in institutions assigned with protecting rights of victims of family an/ or partner violence and trafficking in human beings. The training presentations were delivered by experts from the Division for Integrity Plans of the Anti-Corruption Agency of the Republic of Serbia, and the  City of Belgrade’ Centre for Social Work, as well as by experienced human rights activists.

"Towards the Integrity of Institutions of the Social Policy System in the South and East of Serbia" project is jointly implemented by the Roma Center for Democracy (Bujanovac), the NGO Three Points (Belgrade) and  citizens association RIME (Zajecar). The activities of the six-months project are focused on training women activists on integrity plans and on establishing the network of women activists for integrity of institutions with competences in cases of such crimes, with aim to improve the implementation of regulations in cases of trafficking in human beings and in cases of partner violence or family violence. Belgrade based TRAG Foundation supports the implementation of this project, under its "Stronger Together" program.

 

Photos from the training are available here

Belgrade, 18 June 2019 - Our organisation joins the appeal to the Culture and Information Committee of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia to follow the criteria of transparency, openness and integrity when selecting a new Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection, thus enabling the general public to access all relevant information and to be included in the selection process.

Our organisation also supports the election of Mrs Nevena Ruzic as a candidate to serve as the new Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection.
Here you can learn more about this initiative that received support of more than 100 civil society organizations, media and representatives of the expert public.  

 

Belgrade, April 1, 2019 - Under the "Towards the Integrity of Institutions of the Social Policy System in the South and East of Serbia" project, partner organisations Roma Center for Democracy (Bujanovac), NGO Three Points (Belgrade) and citizens association RIME (Zajecar) are announcing Call for Applications for second training on integrity plans in institutions of the social policy system with competencies in cases of trafficking in human beings and cases of partner or family violence.

Nis, 12 May 2019 - The first of several trainings titled "Integrity plans in institutions of the social policy system with competencies in cases of trafficking in human beings and in cases of partner or domestic violence" took place from 9 - 12 May in Nis. First group of 10 women activists from central and eastern parts of Serbia learned about integrity plans in institutions assigned with protecting rights of victims of family an/ or partner violence and trafficking in human beings. The training presentations were delivered by experts from the Division for Integrity Plans of the Anti-Corruption Agency of the Republic of Serbia, and the and the City of Belgrade’ Centre for Social Work, as well as by experienced human rights activists.

 

Among other, capacities of participants to identify links between violations of rights caused by irregularities in performance of local institutions of the social policy system with competencies in cases of family and/or partner violence and human trafficking, and measures listed in mandatory anti-corruption mechanism tailored to prevent irregularities in the performance of institutions (integrity plan) were developed. By familiarizing participants with integrity plans, awareness was raised on the need and importance of properly assessed risks and adequately determined deadlines and measures for their elimination in integrity plans.

 

"Towards the Integrity of Institutions of the Social Policy System in the South and East of Serbia" project is jointly implemented by the Roma Center for Democracy (Bujanovac), the NGO Three Points (Belgrade) and  citizens association RIME (Zajecar). The activities of the six-months project are focused on training women activists on integrity plans and on establishing the network of women activists for integrity of institutions with competences in cases of such crimes, with aim to improve the implementation of regulations in cases of trafficking in human beings and in cases of partner violence or family violence. Belgrade based TRAG Foundation supports the implementation of this project, under its "Stronger Together" program.

 

Photos of the course of training are available here

Belgrade, 22 April 2019 - Our activist took part in a consultative workshop organized by the National Branch of the Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption (GOPAC), held in the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia. The aim of this meeting was for MPs to hear about problems in fighting corruption from CSO perspective, so the branch could project its future actions adequately.

 

Representatives of civil society organizations listed dozens  of problems in the implementation of laws, issues with (lack of) functioning of institutions in regard to cases of corruption, as well as examples of problematic sections of laws, both of adopted ones and of those to be adopted. Particularly emphasized were the problems in the media, which in opinion of many have been extended to the point where even the security of journalists is threatened. Ignoring of initiatives and proposals of citizens / civil society and their viewpoints, as well as the absence of dialogue were also mentioned. Almost all CSO representatives warned present MPs about the fact that the Parliament few years in the row did not consider reports of independent bodies in plenary thus failing to exercise control over the work of the Government. Speaking on behalf of Three Points, Andjelka Markovic pointed out that whole series of annual reports issued by the Ombudsman warned about the situation in the social work centres linking the situation to cases of domestic violence / partner violence (including ones that ended with murders), but findings of these reports were never discussed in plenary.

 

The meeting was attended by Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, members of Parliament, representatives of organizations Belgrade Fund for Political Excellence, Transparency Serbia, Crime Investigation and Corruption Network, Bureau for Social Research, Three Points, Law Scanner, Center for Educational Policies, Belgrade Center for Security Policy and CRTA, as well as by representatives of the United Nations Development Program in Serbia and the Swiss Cooperation Office.

Belgrade, April 1, 2019 - Under the "Towards the Integrity of Institutions of the Social Policy System in the South and East of Serbia" project, partner organisations Roma Center for Democracy (Bujanovac), NGO Three Points (Belgrade) and citizens association RIME (Zajecar) are announcing Call for Applications for training on integrity plans in institutions of the social policy system with competencies in cases of trafficking in human beings and cases of partner or family violence.