June 2017—Civil society in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is demanding integrity and responsibility from the government. That says a lot for a country where citizens in yearly surveys rank corruption as one of the biggest problems in the country while expressing the belief that they cannot do anything to stop it.

With USAID support, the Centers for Civic Initiatives (CCI) regularly monitors and reports to the public on the work of BiH Government institutions, giving citizens a rational yardstick for assessing the performance of their elected officials.

Release of the 2016 reports in February 2017 drew huge media interest and public response. The reports’ release also had a notable impact on government accountability.

The country’s governance is divided between two bodies—the Federation of BiH, which consists of 10 autonomous cantons, or districts, and the Republika Srpska.

Over the past few years, political infighting in the Federation Parliament brought the government to a standstill. Despite the fact that they did not govern or represent their constituents, members of Parliament not only continued to receive their salaries on a regular basis, but in 2016 they voted to increase their monthly benefits by BAM 600-800 ($450)—the average monthly income for BiH citizens.

CCI first drew the attention of the public to this action. While the speaker of the FBiH House of Peoples tried to justify the increase, it was not accepted by the public, the media nor even some politicians.

“On one side, they [members of Parliament] are sending the message that spending cuts must be made due to the EU [European Union] Reform Agenda and the IMF [International Monetary Fund],” said Salih Kruščica, president of the FBiH Employees Trade Union, responding to the reports. “But on the other side … they easily raise their hands and vote to increase their benefits, and are pulling the wool over our eyes.” Spending cuts are necessary for BiH’s planned accession to the EU.

A few politicians spoke out, too. “Above all, the decision is immoral and shows how people from political life have detached themselves from the reality in which the majority of BiH citizens live,” said Predrag Kojović, president of Nasa Stranka (Our Party) and member of the FBiH House of Peoples.

Responding to the public outcry, the FBiH Parliament retracted the decision to increase salaries.

Civil action brought similar results in Gorazde canton. In November 2016, the Gorazde Prosecutor’s Office charged Gorazde Minister of Finance Nudžeim Džihanić with forging a public document. Džihanić admitted to the crime and, in a plea bargain, was sentenced to three months in jail and temporarily suspended from work. But he kept his job as cantonal minister of finance.

The case caught the public’s eye after CCI published its report and held a press conference in Gorazde. “It is completely unacceptable that neither qualified audit reports nor proved and indicted crimes are not reason enough for [guilty authorities] to resign, be dismissed, or not appointed in the first place,” said Ana Lučić of CCI.

Goražde canton authorities protested the publication of CCI’s monitoring reports. But better-informed citizens did not back down and demanded responsibility from their elected officials, including Džihanić. Two days later, he resigned.

This assistance is part of USAID’s Civil Society Sustainability Project, which is designed to encourage civic activism and increase government accountability in BiH. The project runs from 2013 to 2018.

LINKS

Follow @USAIDBIH, on Facebook