ASK: The law, not the Agency, determines who is a public official

The Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (ASK) announced that the Law on the Prevention of Corruption determines who is a public official, not that institution.

KAS announced yesterday, on the occasion of the upcoming population census, that the members of the census commissions are also public officials and that they must report their income and assets to it.

"The Agency for the Prevention of Corruption is not the one that prescribes who is a public official or not, that 'assigns the status of a public official' to someone, as it may be heard, but this is determined by the Law on the Prevention of Corruption. As the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption has repeatedly pointed out , being a public official, in every mature democratic state, is an honor, accompanied by a responsibility towards the community that shows trust that decisions are made on its behalf," ASK announced.

They said that they do not see any reason why it would be a problem for someone to show their legally acquired income and property, and thus demonstrate their personal and professional integrity.

"Attacks that the Agency is trying to obstruct the census by announcing that the members of the census commissions are public officials - in accordance with Article 3 of the Law on Prevention of Corruption, and in connection with Article 15 paragraph 2 of the Law on the Census of Population, Households and Apartments - we consider frivolous, unsubstantiated and politicized. We will repeat: The Agency for the Prevention of Corruption is not the one that prescribes who is a public official or not, that 'assigns the status of a public official' to someone, as it may be heard, but that is determined by the Law on Prevention of Corruption," they conclude.