Corruption in BiH cannot be solved unless the citizens consider this issue priority on the elections and support the institutions which showed reliable determination to do something about this issue, high representative and the special EU representative Valentin Inzko wrote in a column published in yesterday’s Independent Newspaper.

“Corruption costs tens of thousands workplaces because the potential investors will not invest their money in the country where bribe is so deeply rooted in the administrative and political system”, Inzko wrote, and OHR announced.

He emphasised that corruption is eating through the tissue of everyday life in every part of BiH – when the doctors refuse to treat patients until they are bribed, when students are paying to pass an exam, when the construction permits are issued after a modest present to the responsible clerk.

Inzko also added that “if we are to go after the little clerks who are taking bribe, lets go after the political big shot who embezzle millions. The fact is that too many politicians and officials in charge in BiH steal and do not answer for it. They, who do it, are stealing from you”.

“Public Prosecutor’s Office of BiH and State Court started taking officials before court for corruption. No one will be surprised that the Prosecution and the Court became a subject of intensive political criticism at the same time, high representative and special EU representative stated.

However, the fact that the judicial organs on different levels, despite the criticism and the political pressure started dealing with the issue of corruption is encouraging. They need all the support they can get in order to continue that fight, as well as the practical support from every politician who is serious in cleaning the sfere of public life.

High representative and special EU representative pointed out that “it is simply not true that corruption cannot be stopped”, and he pointed to a fact that “laws and institutions are there – but they will only change things if the focus and the approach of the political elite is changed in the root and with determination”.

Inzko said that this change can be made only by the electoral body.

“Voters will have a golden opportunity to express their opinion on this great theft on October 3rd. If the citizens direct their anger towards the political action, it will be possible to start attracting significant investments in BiH, create new workplaces and decrease poverty. Because of that, we must make corruption priority on the elections”, high representative and special EU representative said.