CHALLENGES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION IN THE EU INTEGRATION PROCESS – CASE STUDY: NORTH MACEDONIA, SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO

Abstract

An effective fight against corruption is a condition for the rule of

law, building a state with functional institutions and respecting

human freedoms and rights. Achieving positive results is a

challenge for both developed democracies and countries in

transition.

The paper analyzes the normative and institutional frameworks for

fighting corruption in three countries from the Western Balkans,

North Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, as well as their

strategic documents for fighting corruption. Despite the results

achieved in the last few decades, the problems with corruption are

still complex, and in this direction the focus of this paper is

research into the reasons for such a situation as well as the

challenges for the future.

In the efforts for faster integration into the EU, the three countries

are implementing reforms with the aim of more effectively

fighting corruption, but there is one key factor for achieving this

goal, and that is the existence of political will to fight corruption.

This aspect is particularly emphasized in the paper because

without political will it is impossible to achieve visible successes

in the fight against corruption. The authors emphasize that the best

laws can be written, quality strategic documents can be adopted,

but if they are not implemented, it is as if they do not exist.

The paper pays special attention to the transition process in North

Macedonia as well as to the implementation of the current

National Strategy for the Prevention of Corruption and Conflict of

Interest. In addition, the authors present several proposals for

changes in the normative and institutional framework of North

Macedonia for the fight against corruption.

The methodological approach is a combination of several

methods, content analysis, comparative legal research, historical

and statistical methods.