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Infrastructure of Integrity - Political Economy of Organized Corruption and Anti-Corruption in the Western Balkans

This report is part of the Infrastructure of Integrity series that focuses on corruption and anti-corruption in the Western Balkans. It is an output of the civil society monitoring implementation of anti-corruption pledges made at the London Summit of the Berlin Process in 2018. The Infrastructure of Integrity series was launched with the release of the Executive Summary in 2020. This first report looks at the political economy of organized crime and anti-corruption in the Western Balkans. It is followed by the Western Balkans AntiCorruption Pledge Monitor, which tracks implementation of the pledges made at the 2018 London Summit, as well other commitments made to strengthen integrity, particularly in relation to the UN Convention against Corruption and the EU acquis. National case studies will also be published as part of the Infrastructure of Integrity series. Our hope is that this series can contribute to the implementation of the anti-corruption pledges that have been made in the Berlin Process, as well as to wider efforts to fight corruption and strengthen integrity in the countries of the Western Balkans. Summary The Western Balkans continue to struggle with corruption. The problem affects so many aspects of life – from petty corruption and paying bribes to nepotism and major fraud. While significant progress has been made in putting in place appropriate anti-corruption legislation, institutions and strategies, the effective use of these measures and bodies is too often lacking. The result is what this report calls ‘organized corruption’ – a symbiosis of organized crime, criminal methods and high- level corruption, which creates a crooked ecosystem that enriches and protects those with access to power. The report provides recommendations on how to transform a culture of crime and corruption into a climate of integrity in order to ensure that the law is equal to all.

Integrity, political economy, organized corruption, anti-corruption pledges, Western Balkan, EU Accession

https://globalinitiative.net/wp- content/uploads/2020/10/Infrastructure-of- integrity-24-GITOC.pdf