Title page
Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4
INTRODUCTION 11
METHODOLOGY 14
ANTI-CORRUPTION REFORM 17
SEPARATION OF POWERS 20
STRONGMAN POLITICAL LEADERS 20
LACK OF PARLIAMENTARY CONTROL AND SUPPORT FOR OVERSIGHT 20
RECOMMENDATIONS TO STRENGTHEN THE SEPARATION OF POWER BETWEEN EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE 23
JUSTICE SECTOR 24
RESOURCES 24
INDEPENDENCE 25
ACCOUNTABILITY AND OVERSIGHT 26
EFFECTIVENESS IN PROSECUTING HIGH-LEVEL CORRUPTION 27
RECOMMENDATIONS TO STRENGTHEN THE JUSTICE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT SECTOR 29
POLITICAL INTEGRITY 31
INTERNAL PARTY DEMOCRACY 31
POLITICAL FINANCE 32
ELECTION INTEGRITY 36
CONFLICT OF INTEREST 39
ASSET DECLARATIONS 40
LOBBY CONTROL 41
RECOMMENDATIONS TO STRENGTHEN POLITICAL INTEGRITY 41
PUBLIC SECTOR INTEGRITY 44
POLITICAL RECRUITMENT 44
PUBLIC PROCUREMENT 44
RIGHT TO INFORMATION 46
WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION 47
RECOMMENDATIONS TO STRENGTHEN THE PUBLIC SECTOR 48
OVERSIGHT INSTITUTIONS 50
RESOURCES 50
INDEPENDENCE 51
ACCOUNTABILITY 52
MANDATE AND EFFECTIVENESS 53
RECOMMENDATIONS TO STRENGTHEN OVERSIGHT INSTITUTIONS 54
CIVIL SOCIETY AND THE MEDIA 56
KEY CHALLENGES FOR CSOs AND THE MEDIA 56
CIVIL SOCIETY AND THE MEDIA AS ANTI-CORRUPTION WATCHDOGS 59
GENDER-SENSITIVE PROGRAMMING AND REPORTING 60
RECOMMENDATIONS TO STRENGTHEN CIVIL SOCIETY AND THE MEDIA 61
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 62
ENDNOTES 63
Table 1.1. European Commission assessment of the level of preparedness for EU membership, November 2023 12
Table 5.1. Overview of scores for resource (in practice) indicators of national integrity assessments 24
Table 5.2. Overview of scores for independence (in practice) indicators of national integrity assessments 25
Table 5.3. Overview of scores for accountability (in practice) indicators of national integrity assessments 26
Table 5.4. Overview of scores for corruption prosecution indicators of national integrity assessments 27
Table 6.1. Overview of political finance oversight institutions 35
Table 6.2. Overview of asset declaration systems 40
Table 8.1. Overview of resource (in practice) indicators of national integrity assessments of oversight institutions 50
Table 8.2. Overview of independence (in practice) indicators of national integrity assessments of oversight institutions 51
Table 8.3. Overview of accountability (in practice) indicators of national integrity assessments of oversight institutions 52
Table 8.4. Overview of average scores for role (in practice) indicators of national integrity assessments of oversight institutions 54
Graphics
Graphic 1.1. Corruption Perceptions Index scores in the Western Balkans and Türkiye, 2016-2023 11
Graphic 2.1. The 15 pillars of the national integrity assessment methodology 14
Graphic 2.2. Dimensions and indicators of each pillar of the national integrity assessment methodology 15
Graphic 4.1. Overview of percentage of women in executive and legislative bodies in the Western Balkans and Türkiye 22
Graphic 9.1. CIVICUS Monitor 2023 National Civic Space rating in the Western Balkans and Türkiye 57