1 / 20

European Accents in Corruption Prevention in Slovenia

Explore the history and major points of corruption prevention efforts in Slovenia, focusing on the role of the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption. Analyze the provisions on conflict of interest and the obligation to avoid such conflicts.

kayla
Download Presentation

European Accents in Corruption Prevention in Slovenia

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. European accents in the activity of the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption in Slovenia ****Prepared by:Jure Škrbec, MAAnti-corruption Officer - Conflict of Interest Oversight Officer jure.skrbec@kpk-rs.si (Bulgaria, 28-29. June 2012) INTEGRITY. ACCOUNTABILITY. RULE OF LAW.

  2. L E G I S L A T I O N ON PREVENTION OF CORRUPTION • Till 2001 not even heard of prevention on corruption and other misbehavior of public servants; • Till 2004 no laws in this manner • Civil Servants Act; Code of Conducts… • NO SUPERVISION, NO SANCTIONS (despite disciplinary ones…) • 2004: Prevention of CorruptionAct (2004) - PCA • Till 2010 no (legal) voice of I N T E G R I T Y • June 2010: IntegrityandPrevention of CorruptionAct (2010) - IPCA INTEGRITY. ACCOUNTABILITY. RULE OF LAW.

  3. MAJOR POINTS IN SLOVENIAN HISTORY Onlybecause of internationalassessmentsSloveniabecame one of the role model country in prevention of corruptionandestablishingandsafeguardingintegrity • GRECO • First evaluation in 2000 • Dissapointingfindings • No prevention, no independentanti-corruptionbod(y)ies, • Secondevaluation in 2003 • Thirdevaluation in 2007 • Fourthevaluation in 2012 • OECD • First evaluation in 2005 • Secondevaluation in 2007 • UNCAC, IACA (InternationalAnti-CorruptionAcademy), EPAC (EU partnertsagainscorruption), WB, CoE, EuropeanCommission, EUPAN (EU PublicAdministrationNetwork)… • CommissionforthePrevention of Corruption (2004) • Prevention of CorruptionAct (2004) - PCA • CommissionforthePrevention of Corruption (2010) • IntegrityandPrevention of CorruptionAct (2010) - IPCA

  4. COMMISSION FOR THE PREVENTION OF CORRUPTION Independent and autonomous state body INTEGRITY. ACCOUNTABILITY. RULE OF LAW.

  5. MAIN FIELDS ON PREVENTION AND ESTABLISHING INTEGRITY • Conflict of Interests • Incompatibility of office and prohibition of membership and activities • Prohibition and restrictions of receiving of gifts • Restrictions on busines activities • Declaration and supervision of assets of officials • Integrity plans • Anti-corruption Clause • Lobbying • Whistleblower protection • Revolving Doors • Resolution on the prevention of corrupion • Analyzing corruption reports / allegations INTEGRITY. ACCOUNTABILITY. RULE OF LAW.

  6. C O N F L I C T O F I N T E R E S T • Subsidiarity of IPCA • Theprovisons of conflict of interests do not apply to procedures in whichtheexclusion of anofficial is regulated in anotherAct • PURPOSE OF OBLIGATION TO AVOID CONFLICT OF INTERESTS: • promoting and strengthening transparency and “fair play” within the processes and procedures of exercising public authority, public functions and public affairs. • IPCA institutes aimed at absolute prohibition (prevention) of certain conflict of interests: • incompatibility of office and prohibition of activities for officials, • restriction of business between public sector institutions and enterprises connected to officials or their family members. INTEGRITY. ACCOUNTABILITY. RULE OF LAW.

  7. OBLIGATION TO AVOID CONFLICT OF INTERESTS – WHO? according to IPCA regulation – official persons = officials, high-ranking civil servants, and other public servants, as well as managers, and members of the management and supervisory boards of public sector entities • Public sector in IPCA: • state bodies and local communities; • public agencies, public funds, public institutes and public business institutes; • other entities governed by public law, which are indirect user or state or local budget; and • public undertakings and private companies in which a controlling interest or a dominant influence is held either by the State or a local community. INTEGRITY. ACCOUNTABILITY. RULE OF LAW.

  8. OBLIGATION TO AVOID CONFLICT OF INTERESTS – WHAT? • Conflict of interest means circumstances in which the private interest of an official personinfluences or appears to influence the impartial and objective performance of his/her public duties. • Private interest of an official person means a financial or non-financialbenefit which is either to his/her advantage or to the advantage of his/her family members or other natural or legal persons with whom s/he maintains or has maintained personal, business or political relations. • To avoid conflict of interest is primary the obligation of official person, who has to pay attention on every actual or potential conflict of interests and must make every effort to avoid it! • Then SUPERIOR andthe last CPC INTEGRITY. ACCOUNTABILITY. RULE OF LAW.

  9. OBLIGATION TO AVOID CONFLICT OF INTERESTS – HOW? • Official person whofinds out that a conflict of interest has arisen or might arise must: • immediately inform his/her superior in writing, and if s/he has no superior, the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption (if not, official person can be punished with a fine of not less than 400 and not more than 1200 euro + NAME & SHAME) , and • immediately cease to perform any work with regard to the matter in which the conflict of interest has arisen, unless the delay would pose a risk. • The superior or the Commission must decide on the conflict of interest within 15 days and immediately communicate the decision to the official person. • The second (or first) possibility:self-exclusion of official person from the matter in which the conflict of interest has arisen  The purpose and the goal: an official person may not use his/her office or position to advance his/her personal interests or the personal interests of another person.

  10. COMMISSION’S PROCEDURE FOR ESTABLISHING CONFLICT OF INTERESTS • if there is a possibility that a conflict of interest has arisen in the official conduct (act) of official person, the Commission initiates a procedure for establishing the actual existence of the conflict of interest and its consequences • it can be done within two years of the performance of the official acts • In case of establishing conflict of interests, the Commission has the following competences/duties: • to inform the competent authority or the employer of the official person and set the time limit by which the competent authority or the employer is obliged to inform the Commission of measures taken in this respect, and • in case of intentional breaking of obligation to avoid conflict of interests, the Commission informs also all other competent authorities; • Publicly announce such cases INTEGRITY. ACCOUNTABILITY. RULE OF LAW.

  11. INCOMPATIBILITY OF OFFICE AND PROHIBITION OF MEMBERSHIP AND ACTIVITIES • A proffessional officials holding a public office must not be: • engaged in any professional or other activity aimed at generating income: • Except: pedagogical, scientific, research, artistic, cultural, sports and publishing activities, manage a farm and their own assets • a member of a company, economic interest grouping, cooperative, public institute, public fund, public agency or other entity governed by public or private law or • engaged in management, supervision or representation activities of mentioned entities • Except: insocieties, institutions and political parties. • In case of non-proffesional officials – prohibitions are less strict • Violations: within 30 days he/she must stop with activity • If not– Commission warn him/her or submit to the responsible authority a request to initiate the procedure for termination of office (+ fines) INTEGRITETA. ODGOVORNOST. VLADAVINA PRAVA. INTEGRITY. ACCOUNTABILITY. RULE OF LAW.

  12. RESTRICTIONS ON BUSINES ACTIVITIES ABSOLUTE PROHIBITION OF BUSINESS ACTIVITIES: • Public bodies, which operates under the public procurement procedures; procedures for granting concessions or other forms of public-private partnership, must not • Order goods, services and construction works, enter into public-private partnership or grant rights • to entetites in which official, who holds position, or his family member, has following role: • manager, management member or legal representative • has more than 5% level of participation in the management or capital RELATIVE PROHIBITION OF BUSINESS ACTIVITIES: • In all other procedures; • Obeying conflict of interests provisions INTEGRITETA. ODGOVORNOST. VLADAVINA PRAVA. INTEGRITY. ACCOUNTABILITY. RULE OF LAW.

  13. RESTRICTIONS ON BUSINES ACTIVITIES REVOLVING DOORS - PANTOUFLAGE • Temporary prohibition of business activity AFTER the termination of office • Within 1 or 2 years, • Not applay to family members and their entities • List of subjects and prohibitions • A contract concluded in contravention of the provisions: • “null and void” • misdemeanour procedures - fines (from 400 – 4.000 EUR) • SUPERVIZOR - http://supervizor.kpk-rs.si/ INTEGRITETA. ODGOVORNOST. VLADAVINA PRAVA. INTEGRITY. ACCOUNTABILITY. RULE OF LAW.

  14. PROHIBITION AND RESTRICTIONS OF RECEIVING OF GIFTS • A functionary / public official must not accept gifts or other benefits relating to the holding of the office, except for • protocol gifts and occasional gifts of low value • Gifts not exceeding the value of 75 EUR or gifts whose total value in a year does not exceed 150 EUR(if they are received from the same person) shall be regarded as occasional gifts of low value. • Prohibitions or restrictions also apply to family members of the functionary • If occasional gifts exceeds the value will become property of state or local community • Public sector bodies - prohibition of receiving gifts (donations) which could influence on decision making process - If breaching – gift, donation become property of State / Loc. Com. INTEGRITETA. ODGOVORNOST. VLADAVINA PRAVA. INTEGRITY. ACCOUNTABILITY. RULE OF LAW.

  15. SUPERVISION OF THE FINANCIAL SITUATION OF FUNCTIONARIES • Functionary must submit to the Commission data on: • Personal identification number (PIN) • Tax number • the office he/she holds or activities he/she performs, • his/her entire financial situation. • Data on the financial situation of the functionary contains data • on his/her entire property and income, i.e.: • on real estate,movable property of high value, • on business stakes and shares in companies and other securities, • on funds deposited in banks, savings banks etc. • Reporting changes – by 31 January for the previous year • Analyzing if reported match with real situation • in-depth random checks in assessing the wealth of an individual and compare it with possibilities to earn such wealth – identification of INEXPLICABLE / ILLICIT WEALTH • DISPROPORTIONAL INCREASEMENT OF FINANCIAL SITUATION • informing prosecution to secure all assets INTEGRITETA. ODGOVORNOST. VLADAVINA PRAVA.

  16. INTEGRITY PLANS = risk assessment tools • Public bodies, local community bodies, public agencies, public institute, public funds... must adopt integrity plans. • The integrity plan consist of the measures of legal and practical nature, which eliminate and prevent the possibilities for the occurrence and development of corruption in a body. • Final report (the plan) contents: • highlights the most risky/vulnerable activities, • with the priority of correction/improvement, • type of improvement, • deadlines, • and who (according to systematisation) is to oversee its implementation • Methodology was published in the ‘EU Catalogue on Bestpractices in the field of integrity, anti corruption and administrative measures against organised crime' INTEGRITETA. ODGOVORNOST. VLADAVINA PRAVA. INTEGRITY. ACCOUNTABILITY. RULE OF LAW.

  17. LOBBYING • Only registered lobbists can perform lobbying • Persons must register as lobbists at CPC • Lobbists must report once a year to CPC • CPC supervises work of lobbists • Sanctions: • Written reminder • Prohibition of lobbying (term, matter) • Erasure from register INTEGRITETA. ODGOVORNOST. VLADAVINA PRAVA. INTEGRITY. ACCOUNTABILITY. RULE OF LAW.

  18. WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION • Anyone can inform CPC orothercompetent body aboutcorruption • The identity of a reporter,whoreportsa corruptionin GOOD FAITH and who reasonably concludes that his personal information is accurate,mustnot be disclosed or assessed. • Ifthereexistsreason of danger or otherthreat to/against reporter – suchperson is protected in the same way as a person whose protection is defined in the Witness Protection Act. • Publicofficialcanreportanykind of illegal or unethicalbehaviouragainsthim, mental or physicalviolence to hissuperior (or CPC). • Demand to stop withsuchactivity; if not – paydamage, idemnity, relocationof officialto an equivalent position INTEGRITETA. ODGOVORNOST. VLADAVINA PRAVA. INTEGRITY. ACCOUNTABILITY. RULE OF LAW.

  19. GOOD PRACTICES in CoI • SUPERVISOR – automatisation of detection • Step-by-step approach against conflicts of interest: • public official • his/her institution • Commission for the Prevention of Corruption • Whistleblower protection • More accurate and good information • “Name and shame” technique • Sanctions • Proactive approach – assets declarations • Automatization of work – electronic forms and base (cross-checkings) • Independent and autonomous body for supervision • Resignations • Minister; General Inspector; etc.

  20. Any Questions? ***Commission for the Prevention of CorruptionDunajska 56, Ljubljanat +386 1 400 57 10f +386 1 478 84 72www.kpk-rs.siinfo.korupcija@kpk-rs.sianti.korupcija@kpk-rs.si

More Related