BELGRADE – Ambassador Michael D. Kirby and Minister of Defense Bratislav Gasić highlighted the importance of strengthening anti-corruption efforts in the security sector at the conference on the Partnership for Integrity in the Security Sector in Serbia organized by the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy (BCSP) today.

Ambassador Michael D. Kirby opened the conference noting, “In a rules-based democratic society, institutions must be transparent and answerable to the people.  They must provide for the safety and fair treatment of all citizens regardless of their economic status, ethnic identity, or any other affiliation.”   

Bratislav Gasić, Minister of Defense, also stated that “the government is not going to give in on its zero tolerance in the fight against corruption in all spheres of life and occupation”, emphasizing that “the safety of citizens and society are the basis of successful development and the eradication of corruption is one of the most important tasks.”

The conference emphasized the importance of opening a dialogue between key security institutions − such as the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Interior, and the Security Information Agency − to better improve oversight of the security sector in Serbia, strengthen the integrity of the security institutions, and allow for more efficient and transparent collaboration with citizens and civil society organizations. 

The event was organized within the “Partnership for Integrity in the Security Sector in Serbia” project, supported by USAID through the Civil Society Forward Program and managed by the Institute for Sustainable Communities (ISC).