In political life, there are examples of people who are connected to various illegal or semi-legal activities... There are also examples of persons who are indicated to be connected to organized crime, are very involved in political life, and that parties and elections are financed with dubious donations. .... Despite this, there is a widespread problem of politicization in the Balkans, that is, a lower degree of independence of the agencies for the prevention of corruption and the prosecuting authorities that should investigate it.
This is stated, among other things, by the ambassador, adviser of the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC) and professor LUISS University in Rome Ugleša Zvekić.
With that, among other things, he commented on the latest information that part of the money acquired through organized criminal activity ended up in gray election funds for the purposes of the DPS campaign.
GI TOC recently published an analysis “Organized corruption - Political financing in the Western Balkans”, in which he deals with the financing of elections, parties, abuse of public companies for political purposes... on ZB.
Have you researched and analyzed organized corruption in the field of party and election financing, public procurement and state control over public enterprises?
This research was focused on "political financing". This means various ways of financing getting and staying in power. It is about budgetary and various other forms of financing the work of political parties and elections, as well as control over state public enterprises and the use of these funds for direct or indirect financing of political parties, i.e. during elections.
It's not always about money, it's about buying and winning loyalty and votes. In addition, political influence on public procurement and those who will be awarded in tenders is a very effective way of obtaining economic and political loyalty and support for political parties, and in most cases those in power.
Most of the WB countries have mostly harmonized the legislation in these areas with that of the EU, but the problem is its application in practice, i.e. there are no sanctions (because they are circumvented or interpreted creatively) or the recommendations of the competent institutions are not followed?
All countries in the Balkans have to a considerable extent harmonized their legislation related to the financing of political parties and elections, i.e. state/public enterprises, as well as regulations regarding public procurement - with the standards of the European Union and the Council of Europe, as well as other international standards ( eg with the United Nations Convention against Corruption and the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime).
The biggest problem is in the application of those laws, which is partial and whose violations are not usually accompanied by adequate legal sanctions, and in this the biggest role is played by the political factor, which by avoiding the consistent application of the law favors certain group interests, mainly of an economic and political nature. On the other hand, this legislation is under constant changes or refinements that somehow lead to the "legalization" of loopholes in the law that are in the interest of certain groups. Hence the need for greater attention on the part of parliament and, above all, supervisory state bodies, as well as civil society, the media and the academic community.
If for years we have had doubts about the illegal finances of some parties, donations that are not shown anywhere or come from dubious sources, how do you explain the fact that neither the anti-corruption agencies nor the prosecutor's office have ever thoroughly investigated it?
In the Balkans, there is a widespread problem of politicization, that is, a lower degree of independence of supervisory bodies such as, for example, agencies for the prevention of corruption, but unfortunately also the prosecution and investigation of organized crime and corruption (prosecutor's office and police), but also the judiciary. Special attention should be paid to this and our next research will be on the topic of "Integrity and independence of the police, prosecution, judiciary and specialized agencies for the prevention of corruption in the Balkans", with the hope that we will point out ways to improve the functioning of these institutions. The largest number of highly enlightened professionals work in them, who are often prevented from completing their work due to interference from the outside or from the politicized management of these organizations.
These days, the media published data based on Sky correspondence, which show that money from organized crime was also used to finance the elections, specifically indicating that this happened for the needs of the DPS?
Organized crime is present in many ways in economic, political and cultural life in the Balkans.
In the region, there are many examples of dirty money laundering through "investments" in construction, casinos, entertainment, etc., as well as through participation in public procurement tenders.
In political life, there are examples of people who are connected to various illegal or semi-legal activities, and who are also politically engaged at various levels, often at the local level. Positions of institutional power are used to overlook conflicts of interest and to obtain permission to exploit public funds or space for personal enrichment. There are examples of persons who have indications that they are connected to organized crime, are very involved in political life, above all at the local level. Finally, "hidden" donations, the origin of which is of a dubious nature, can be part of the source of financing the work of political parties or elections.
Organized crime, unfortunately, occupies a place in the culture through the promotion of a quick way to get money and arrogant behavior thanks to such and such money, as well as some values of "loyalty and solidarity", togetherness and devotion to the leaders of criminal clans.
Do the ruling parties, by choosing the management of public companies, directly extend organized corruption?
The state economy in the Balkans is still very strong, both economically and socially. Management of large public goods from energy, water, roads, railways, garbage to communal services is the core of political financing and cauldron of organized corruption. Public procurements are used skillfully to favor loyal domestic economic subjects, and sometimes they are part of foreign policy in favoring foreign state or private investors from certain countries.
On the other hand, the management of state enterprises is the political spoils of the parties that win power. The appointment of top management with a desirable political orientation is a guarantee of control over the state economy and strengthening of the political, social and financial basis and influence on society.
And the so-called middle management is often placed in a position of dependence. This greatly reduces the possibility of that professional managerial layer to perform functional supervision and, by the nature of their profession and position, to be a kind of natural corrector of irregularities in work, almost so to speak, a kind of natural "whistle-blower". That is why this layer of professional managers is often restrained in their independence and kept in a position of loyalty to those in power. State and utility companies are still one of the biggest employers in the Balkans. Along with that job comes a slightly higher degree of security and enjoyment of the right to various social benefits. Social policy support is a kind of unwritten "employment contract clause". It's the same with pensions, which are often used as a tempting election bait.
Why has it become normal at the ZB for parties to use public funds to buy votes before the elections, and that "party recruitment" does not stop despite the huge state and local administration?
All in all, it is necessary to cultivate a culture of integrity, both among political parties and among state authorities (and above all the police, prosecution and judiciary), in the state and private economy. And of course in the education system. The role of civil society, the media and the academic community is extremely important and some kind of mobilization is needed against organized corruption and organized crime, and for a culture of integrity in society.
Organized corruption for political and economic power
In the research on political financing at the ZB GI TOC recognized the problem of organized corruption. Although you have mentioned the term before, it is not widely known, so please remind me what it is?
In the previous study from 2020 "Infrastructure of integrity", which dealt with understanding the basic forms and scope of corruption, as well as the fight against corruption in the Balkans, the concept of "organized corruption" was developed. It is about the symbiosis of organized crime, legal and other illegal actors who use various criminal methods to achieve various types of economic, political, social and cultural profit. It is a way of planned and organized action and influence on decision-making of public importance, in favor of certain groups or individuals. At the same time, it is a way of "buying" and "influencing" the creation and maintenance of social support for winning and remaining in positions of political and economic power and authority.
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