TI Bosnia and Herzegovina continues to operate

Transparency International Bosnia and Herzegovina (TI BiH) continued today with its regular activities. European Commissioner for Enlargement, Mr. Oli Rehn, this morning explicitly supported the work of TI BiH thus confirming the endeavours of the European Commission to continue protecting the work of civil society in Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as insisting on the enforcement of the rule of law and the fight against corruption and organised crime as key priorities for all candidate and potential candidate countries in the European integration process.

Support that TI BiH received for its standing from key institutions and governments, including the European Commission, is a clear message that human rights violations and political pressure on civil society organisations are not seen as acceptable behaviour for a country that pretends to fulfil EU accession criteria.

After suspension of its operations on 10 July, for security reasons caused by an unexplainable campaign orchestrated by the Republika Srpska government-controlled media, that aimed to publicly discredit this organisation, TI BiH insists that the independent investigation of the so-called “racketeering affair“ should provide for an institutional answer and that all persons suspected for criminal acts must be held accountable in accordance with the rule of law, regardless of the position they currently hold.

TI BiH expresses its deepest gratitude to all the organisations and individuals which provided unselfish support in these critical moments and conveyed the perspective that such a public reckoning with those critical of government activities should stop.

###