Cross-border corruption – Italians step in
Over the years we have seen an increase in cross-border corruption due to the interconnectivity of governments, as well as projects such as the Pan-European Motorway Corridor, which connects Hungary and eastern Croatia to Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Adriatic Sea. In this case, as reported by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), a good example of cross-border cooperation in addressing a corruption case under this project. The investigation which took place by the EPPO in Venice where they found that three public officials from the Bosnian contracting authority allegedly took actions to secure the contract for an Italian company in Verona. “The officials are suspected of replacing the evaluation committee, redrafting the technical evaluation report, and directing the company to adjust its financial proposal to obtain the highest ranking. This was allegedly done in return for financial and other benefits.” The amounts seem to be approximately 4 million EUR.
Why do we care and what should be done? In this instance, it is good to see that complex investigations can take place across several international jurisdictions. These investigations have required cooperation with many national governments and in the past have encountered difficulties and as such have not been able to move forward. Even though this is not a very large case, the fact that it even has moved forward is very heartening. This case should be reported widely as well as shared with the various authorities in all the listed countries. Additionally, this case should be monitored by civil society as it is one more example of how such cases can come to light. Overall, the start of a satisfying case.
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