Chance to Eliminate Weaknesses in Conflict of Interest Legislation Missed

Dejan Georgievski
Transparency International Hrvatska

14 May 2008

Zorislav Antun Petrović, President of Transparency International Croatia says a chanced was missed to completely solve the issue of conflict of interest in the proposed changes and amendments to the Law on Prevention of Conflict of Interest, primarily in terms of its effective implementation.

-The proposed changes offer some improvements over existing legal solutions, but if adopted in the current form, there remains the possibility for the Commission on Conflict of Interest, the key body for implementation of the Law, to be effectively prevented from pursuing its activities for a period of several months, says Petrović.

The proposed changes and amendments again fail to regulate the work of the Commission between two Sabors (Croatian parliament). In the period between the dissolution of the Sabor and constitution of new Sabor, the Commission can`t have the necessary quorum and adopt valid decisions.

TI Croatia praises the fact that the proposed changes expand the circle of officials governed by the Law and eliminate the possibility for arbitrary definition of the offices that have tasks and obligations under this Law.

Also, claims TI Croatia, the changes failed to secure the conditions for institutional and financial independence of the Commission, which was identified, on several occasions, as the main requirement for efficient implementation of the Law.

- It is a pity that the proposed changes missed on the opportunity to solve all open issues that were, in fact, noted in the Commission`s Annual Reports for 2006 and 2007, respectively, concludes Zorislav Antun Petrović.