By eradicating corruption 140 million euros could be saved in Belgrade annually, it was announced on Wednesday at the presentation of the "White Book of Corruption" in Belgrade and anti-corruption measures, organized by the Center for Local Self-Government (CLS).
According to CLS founder Nikola Jovanović, every public utility company has its favorite bidder, and in Belgrade there are about 40 companies that win almost all tenders.
Jovanović added that during the work on the White Book, it was found that an average of 1,2 bidders apply for a tender in Belgrade, and that the competitors of the favored companies are often only fictitious.
"With a higher price than estimated, they mostly eliminate themselves from the race," Jovanović explained
He added that the problems detected in Belgrade are similar in other cities throughout Serbia.
Retired public prosecutor Jasmina Paunović, lawyer Ivan Ninić, professor of the Faculty of Law in Belgrade Vanja Bajović, professor of the Faculty of Political Sciences in Belgrade Dušan Pavlović and president of the GSP Trade Union Ivan Banković also participated in the presentation of the White Book.
The main anti-corruption measures are repressive and preventive, such as the efficient work of courts and prosecutors, which would establish the principle of punishment.
The importance of placing credible and professional people in key positions and jobs during employment was also highlighted.
The fight against corruption through preventive and repressive mechanisms
Jasmina Paunović stated that the White Book, although its legal character should be spoken with caution, can serve as a set of expert reports based on the analysis of cases and documentation, which could be the starting point for the work of the police and prosecution.
Speaking about the fight against corruption, Jasmina Paunović stated that it must be conducted through preventive and repressive mechanisms.
According to her, the preventive approach implies the selection of expert, professional and worthy people for responsible positions, and worthiness implies honesty, honor of the profession, morality and willingness to take responsibility.
When it comes to repressive measures, she emphasized the importance of proactive investigation and coordination of the police, prosecutor's office and other state authorities.
Faculty of Law professor Vanja Bajović stated that 90 percent of procurements have corrupt elements.
She assessed that corrupt mechanisms are deeply present in the public management system and stated that, according to her assessment, most of the money is extracted through public procurement, concessions, public-private partnerships, state subsidies and interstate agreements.
Vanja Bajović pointed out that public office implies public responsibility and assessed that holders of public office must bear the consequences if they put their private interest above the general public interest.
Speaking about the state of society, Vanja Bajović stated that, in her opinion, professional and capable people are often suppressed, while incompetent and corrupt personnel are appointed to responsible positions.
As an example, she cited the situation in Serbian football and controversies regarding the management of sports institutions. When it comes to corruption, Vanja Bajović assessed that public procurement is one of the main mechanisms for abuses and expressed doubts about the effectiveness of institutional control in that area.
She mentioned concessions, public-private partnerships, state subsidies and interstate agreements as additional mechanisms for extracting money, assessing that in this way certain large public projects are exempted from public control.
As examples, she cited projects related to the canopy in Novi Sad, Expo and the metro, with the claim that a limited circle of contractors and subcontractors benefit from such work, while, according to her, citizens face the growth of public debt and the consequences for the environment.
She referred to the last example and the knowledge of the KRIK portal that the former president of the Football Association of Serbia (FSS) and a prominent member of the Serbian Progressive Party, Slaviš Kokez, hired people from the criminal milieu to threaten and physically attack the celebrated football player Nemanja Vidić, as shown by the messages he exchanged on the Sky app in 2020.
"That's a paradigm for you of how our system works. You sideline professional and capable people, and on the other hand, you bring incompetent and corrupt personnel to leading positions so that you can rob this country and this people as much as possible and destroy institutions and everything that makes up a country - including football teams and associations," said Vanja Bajović.
Money from the budget for private and party interests
Lawyer Ivan Ninić assessed that, according to his claims, money from the budget of the city of Belgrade and public companies is systematically diverted to private and party interests, with the absence of institutional control and a judicial epilogue.
He stated that the existence of effective control mechanisms, the police and the prosecutor's office would prevent the phenomena that, he said, were described in the White Book, adding that the purpose of criminal sanctions is not only to punish, but also to achieve special and general prevention.
According to him, such effects are absent today because there are no final convictions for cases of abuses in city management.
The representative of the Union "Center" GSP Ivan Banković stated that, in his opinion, record budget funds have been allocated in the public transport sector in Belgrade in recent years, while at the same time deteriorating the quality of service and strengthening the influence of private carriers.
Banković stated that after the last rebalancing of the city's budget, about 50 billion dinars were allocated for the current costs of public transport this year and pointed out that, as he claims, this money does not refer to investments, the purchase of new vehicles or the development of infrastructure, but to the financing of the transport service itself.
According to him, the system is presented to the public as free transportation, while the costs are financed from the budget.
Speaking about the state of city traffic, Banković assessed that public transport has become a "cover for corruption", stating that large sums of money are easier to get through this system than in certain other areas.
Source: FoNet
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