THE REGIONAL ANTI-CORRUPTION INITIATIVE (RAI)

APPROACH and PRIORITIES REGARDING GOOD GOVERNANCE in SOUTH-EASTERN

EUROPE

Brussels, March 31, 2011

WHAT IS GOOD GOVERNANCE?

Good Governance means competent management of a country’s resources and affairs in a manner that is open, transparent, accountable, equitable and responsive to people’s needs.

Main principles of good governance:

• Rule of law;• Accountability;• Transparency;• Responsiveness;• Effectiveness and efficiency;• Investment in people.

Standards in Good Governance

“Old democracies” and major international stakeholders elaborate criteria for what they consider good governance based on their needs and agendas:

• EU – “White Paper” on European Governance (2001);• IMF – complex approach to Good Governance; binds loans

to countries with application of some good governance policies determined by its experts;

• UN – emphasizes reform through human development and political institution reform;

• WB – focused on reform of economic and social resource control; aids and loans dependable on reforms ensuring Good Governance.

Regional Anticorruption Initiative was initially adopted in Sarajevo, in February 2000, as Stability Pact Anti-corruption Initiative (SPAI) and represents an intergovernmental mechanism to address corruption as one of the most serious threats to the recovery and development of SEE countries. Currently, RAI is composed of 9 member states + one observer.

RAI features:

• Intergovernment organization;

• No operational mandate;

• Platform for coordination of anticorruption efforts and policy-making.

The approach of RAI towards Good Governance reflects the mandate of our organization – tackling coorruption thus influencing the process of governance.

RAI – Regional framework to fight corruption in SEE

• Launched by RAI Secretariat in 2010;

• Informal European network of integrity institutions responsible for conflict of interest prevention and assets declaration;

• Mandate: to serve as a platform for policy making, exchange of information, experience and best practices between the practitioners in the area;

• IEN Secretariat functions are managed by RAI Secretariat in close cooperation with the institution having the Chairmanship-in-Office of the Network;

• IEN web site: www.integrity-experts.net

Integrity Experts Network (IEN)

RAI TRAINING PROGRAMS

Summer School for Junior Magistrates from South-Eastern Europe

• Annual event (5 years in a row);

• Target group: young judges, prosecutors and investigators (3-5 years of experience);

• Focus on working international judicial cooperation, effective mutual legal assistance and frequent use of international legal instruments;

• Assistance by Europol, Eurojust, OLAF, UNODC, CoE, etc.

Twinning type activities:• Two leg forums;• Homologue institutions involved;• Good Governance through better experience;• Areas: judiciary, conflict of interest and declaration of

assets.

Workshops and seminars:• Asset recovery;• Public Procurement.

RAI TRAINING PROGRAMS

THANK YOU!QUESTIONS?

Vesna Ratkovic, PhDChairperson of RAI

Director of Directorate for Anti Corruption Initiative Montenegro

http://www.rai-see.org/aci@daci.gov.me

http://www.antikorupcija.me/