Promotion of Cooperation and Increased Proactivity in the Prevention of Corruption and Conflict of Interests (MK0098)

Condition or issue covered with the obligation: When speaking about the prevention of corruption and conflict of interests, it is necessary to create a political culture and valuable system wherein the corruption will be clearly identified as social evil which needs to be prevented and sanctioned on regular basis. In this area, besides SCPC as an institution competent for prevention of corruption and conflict of interests and other relevant factors, the civil sector has a significant role which with its mechanisms of action presents a significant entity in the fight against these socially negative occurrences. Hence, preparedness and bigger initiative for promotion and strengthening the cooperation and partnership between the civil sector and the institutions in the fight against corruption is necessary through realization of mutual activities and projects, exchange of information and coordination for development of sustainable solutions in order to enhance the system of good governance for efficient prevention of corruption and conflict of interests. Main goal: Increase the efficiency and effectiveness in the prevention of corruption and conflict of interests. Short description of the obligation: The action of the competent bodies, as well as the separated preventive anti-corruption projects and activities of the civil sector will not provide the expected results if sustainable system of cooperation is not established between all relevant actors, considering their specifics, as well as the determined legal competences. Of great importance is the holding of periodical coordinative work meetings where specific topics or projects from the area of corruption and conflict of interests will be discussed with proposals and recommendations for undertaking future activities and measures for improvement of the conditions. This will contribute to intensifying the implementation of the established general frame for cooperation for prevention of corruption, with visible results and establishing systematic approach for exchange of information and data, proposals and recommendations which will be discussed and considered from the relevant factors that handle issues from this area. For the purpose of bigger involvement, the civil organizations should develop methodologies for monitoring the corruption as a mechanism and approach for measuring the perceptions of the citizens and their experiences with regards to the exposure to corruption. The civil organizations should transfer the experiences from such methodologies and the results so that they can be included in the development of one all-encompassing and long-term system for prevention of corruption and conflict of interests and establishing good governance. In direction to informing and introducing the public with the effects from the cooperation, public events-debates will be organized, as well as workshops and thematic conferences and campaigns for raising the awareness of the public regarding the corruption and conflict of interests. OGP challenge covered with the obligation: Strengthening the integrity in general through sustainability and long lasting of the effects as a result from the cooperation and participation of civil organizations. Connection with the global goals for sustainable development: Reference with Target 16 “Peace, justice and strong institutions”, Target 16.5: Significant decrease of all forms of corruption and bribe. The measures of this effort contribute to prevention and fight against corruption and protection of the public interest by introducing systematic consultations with the civil sector for the purpose of mutual diagnosing and addressing of the problems. Validity: In order to regulate the manner of cooperation, coordination and mutually agreed activities with the civil sector, SCPC in December 2010 initiated signing of Memorandum for mutual support to prevent corruption and conflict of interests with 17 NGO, whereby their number increased to 22 NGO until 2014 inclusive. The activities encompassed with the Memorandum refer to the exchange of information and initiatives from the area of corruption and conflict of interests, analyses and researches, holding meetings and other events for raising the public awareness, mutual professional cooperation for anti-corruption education and training as well as in the course of legal regulation and realization of projects of interest for fight against corruption and conflict of interests. In the strategic anti-corruption document State Programme for prevention and repression of corruption and prevention and reduction of the conflict of interest with the Action Plan 2016-2019, activities are planned referring to the promotion and expansion of the cooperation between SCPC and the civil organizations and activities for implementation of surveys and researches regarding the conditions with the corruption by preparing reports with findings and recommendations, as well as public debates and campaign for raising the awareness of the public for the corruption and conflict of interests. In direction to realization of the mutually agrees activities arising from the signed documents for cooperation as well as the measures determined in the strategic anti-corruption document, it is of great importance to promote the already established cooperation and to increase the initiative and proactivity for prevention of corruption and conflict of interests. Ambition: The civil organizations in cooperation with the institutions actively monitor and participate in initiatives for monitoring and fight against corruption and are active partner in the process of establishing good governance.

For Commitment details, please see the IRM reports: Macedonia Mid-Term Report 2016-2018 and Macedonia End-of-Term Report 2016-2018