EU rep on shortcomings in Serbia's anti-corruption effort

EU rep on shortcomings in Serbia's anti-corruption effort

Speaking at the meeting on the implementation of the Law on the Organization and the Authority of State Authorities in Fighting Organized Crime, Terrorism and Corruption, held in Belgrade, he said that Serbia had a legislative framework in that area, but added that it was too early to make a definitive assessment as to whether and how much it would contribute to fighting corruption effectively.

"The law is heading in the right direction, but in the next six months we want to see how relevant the cases are for which verdicts have been passed, and among other things, that can be seen in confiscation of property from corruptive acts," Fabrizi said.

According to him, the fight against corruption is not important only on Serbia's path to the EU, but also for the sense of justice and trust of citizens in the government and other state bodies.

"In this area, it is difficult to collect evidence because there are no obvious victims in corruption cases. These are not investigations like other criminal offenses, it is necessary to monitor the flow of money which implies a proactive approach to prosecution," Fabrizi said.

Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic said that Serbia is successful in fighting corruption.

"We have something to be proud of. I would like to thank the prosecutors, judges, police officers, everyone who contributed to Serbia's success in this fight, although of course there is no country that can say it has defeated crime and corruption," Stefanovic said.

Stating that a major effort has been made to build an adequate legislative framework in the area of ​​anti-corruption, the minister sent a request to judges to pass "harsh" judgments, "like the laws are."

"Then the results will come, too. It's important that society understands that corruption is not a desirable thing, whether it's a small gift or a huge amount of money," Stefanovic said.

The minister assessed that Serbia will "always be under a bigger magnifying glass" when it comes to the fight against corruption, but expressed confidence that it will turn out that "crime and corruption will not flourish here."