Corruption is
highly detrimental to the stability of all democratic institutions. It
erodes the rule of law, breaches fundamental rights and freedoms of
Human Rights, undermines the business climate, and hampers economic
growth. The Stability Pact Anti-Corruption Initiative (SPAI) intends
to give an impetus to the fight against corruption in the region by
building upon existing actions through better co-ordination of all
efforts and by relying on high-level political commitment.
Its precise objective is
to help and support countries of the region to adopt within two years
efficient legislation, build up right institutions and develop
appropriate practices in the civil society for a sustained fight against
corruption.
The Initiative was formally adopted at the meeting of the Working Table III in Sarajevo on February 16, 2000, where the SPAI Compact and Action Plan were endorsed. The central role is played by SPAI countries that have committed themselves to carry out reforms under the SPAI Compact. SPAI participants include: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, FRY/Montenegro, FRY/Serbia and Romania.
Bulgaria participates in the Initiative as an observer.
The Initiative covers the following five
sectors; ratification and implementation of relevant international instruments,
promotion of good governance and reliable public administrations (including
procurement legislation), reinforcement of legislation (including on money laundering)
and promotion of the rule of law, promotion of transparency and integrity in
business operations, and promotion of an active civil society.
The Initiative is based upon a three-stage
process of diagnosis of the current conditions in the countries, country-specific
recommendations and monitoring of progress. The
adoption of the SPAI general assessment reports under pillars 1 to 5 in
Tirana and Cavtat, in April and September 2001 respectively, marked the
completion of the first two phases of this process. Monitoring is a permanent process and the main pillar
of the Initiative. Through cycles of missions, visits, reports, assessment and
identification of work programs, the monitoring process will establish a permanent
dialogue between the countries and the Initiative.
To run the Initiative, the Special Co-ordinator is assisted by a Managing Committee
composed of representatives of the Council of Europe, the OECD, the European Commission,
the World Bank, Italy and the USA. The Council of Europe, the OECD and the Office
of the Special Co-ordinator act as the Secretariat of the Initiative. In order
to monitor the implementation of the SPAI Compact, the Special Co-ordinator of
the Stability Pact has established the Anti-Corruption Steering Group chaired
by judge Giuseppe di Gennaro(Italy). The Steering Group is composed of representatives
of the SPAI participating countries and members of the Managing Committee. The
monitoring procedure will comprise external and mutual assessments as well as
self-evaluations, and will be conducted in the form of peer-reviews under the
auspices of the Steering Group. International Organizations, governments from
outside and from inside the region involved in the Initiative endeavor to provide
the assistance required in order to enhance the capacity of countries of South
East Europe to meet the policy objectives established under the Initiative. Following
the adoption of the general assessment reports under pillars 1 to 5 in Tirana
and Cavtat, the assessment phase of the SPAI is now completed and the initiative
has entered its operational phase.
All information concerning the Initiative
and activities related to the fight against corruption can be found on the dedicated
site http://www1.oecd.org/daf/SPAIcom/index.htm,
run by the OECD.
