One year into the implementation of new legal solutions (March 2018 - March 2019), special anti-corruption court departments convicted 523 persons in 448 cases, Justice Minister Nela Kuburović said in a meeting with the President of the Italian Society for International Organisation Franco Frattini.
According to the Minister, the fight against corruption in Serbia has never been at such a high level as it is today. She indicated that those indicted and convicted on corruption charges include high-ranking officials such as judges, public prosecutors, heads of public enterprises and assistant ministers.
“The progress made by Serbia in the fight against corruption has also been recognised by a Council of Europe's special body GRECO (Group of States against Corruption), which has stated in its latest report that Serbia is no longer among globally unsatisfactory countries,” Justice Minister underlined.
She pointed out that the Draft Corruption Prevention Act (which is to replace the Anti-Corruption Agency Act) would soon be presented to MPs. Its adoption is critical to strengthening preventive anti-corruption mechanisms. It is also key to fulfilling obligations under the Chapter 23 Action Plan and recommendations made by GRECO.
Franco Frattini welcomed the results achieved and explained that they were of great importance given the fact that the European Commission was preparing an annual progress report on Serbia in the area of EU integration.