Thaci: Kosovo has taken major steps in fighting corruption

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci has said that corruption phenomenon is a global challenge.

Thaci at the conference on prevention and fighting high-level corruption stressed that corruption phenomenon causes consequences even on the security level. He also said Kosovo has taken action to consolidate the law.

“Corruption is a serious crime not only for our country but also for the more developed countries and a challenge for democracy. The phenomenon of corruption is a global challenge. In addition to the consequences it causes in political and socioeconomic developments, the phenomenon of corruption causes consequences on the security level as well. As a new state, we must be incompetent in preventing and fighting this phenomenon. Law rule and good governance tending to combat negative phenomena on this level and corruption on all levels foster economic growth and protect the welfare of citizens. In this direction, the Republic of Kosovo has taken a series of actions aimed at consolidating the rule of law and in the function of respecting constitutional rule”, Thaci has said, Telegrafi reported.

President Thaci has also cited the challenges mentioned in international reports, such as the UN report.

Kosovo has adopted relevant legislation on this area by establishing institutional and inter-institutional mechanisms for that purpose. Kosovo during the construction state has also had challenges that some of them have been overcome and others have been addressed. These are reflected in various reports by local and international mechanisms. We recently have the Human Rights Report in Kosovo for 2018, published by the American State Department that has identified many advances in the justice sector, but also the challenges we face. All obstacles identified by local or international mechanisms, especially those high-priority mechanisms, should be taken seriously by the country's institutions and worked on improving them”, he stressed.

Among other things, he has mentioned laws that have been issued, and steps that have been taken in the field of legislation.

“I am happy to find that during 2018 and early 2019 Kosovo has taken major steps in consolidating legislation related to the anti-corruption area that has been introduced new laws or current structures have been changed. These include: Kosovo's Penal Code, expected to go into effect in April this year, the law for expanded competencies of property, the law for disciplinary responsibility of judges and prosecutors, the law for courts, the law for the Kosovo Judicial Council, the Law for the Prosecutorial Council, the law for signal protection, the law for preventing conflict of interest in the exercise of public office, the law for internal control for public finance, etc. This legislation allows for effective prevention of criminal acts. Also, this legislation offers protection to all who announce or report public and private sector violations, he added.