Minister Miljanić: No one is above the law

Minister without Portfolio Zoran Miljanić met with leadership of the Agency for Prevention of Corruption. The meeting stated that it is necessary to draft a National Strategy for Combating Corruption as soon as possible, which would enable a more efficient response to numerous problems in that area. Representatives of the Agency for Prevention of Corruption pointed out the importance of interdepartmental cooperation and improvement of legal solutions. Among other things, Minister Miljanić pointed out that awareness in the society about the importance of the state's response to corruption and equality of all citizens before the law, regardless of their status in society, must be improved.

Director of the Agency for Prevention of Corruption Jelena Perović stressed numerous shortcomings in interdepartmental cooperation that must be overcome in order to meet interim benchmarks from the negotiation process with the EU.

Representatives of the Agency said that more than 80 legislative proposals submitted by this institution have been pending in Parliament for two years, and that the Agency has spent almost 18 months establishing good practice, adding that Agency's initiatives have so far been ignored by the Government and the Parliament. Furthermore, they also pointed out serious consequences of violating the procedures and offered the current Government professional assistance in fulfilling obligations that public officials have towards the Agency.

The meeting concluded that cooperation with the Agency for Prevention of Corruption will be intensified in the coming period, especially in terms of establishing high-quality solutions in the fight against corruption, which will be especially visible in the coming months.