Government representatives from Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, Bosia and Herzegovina and North Macedonia signed a joint statement on the fight against corruption during the 30th OSCE Ministerial Council held Nov. 30.
The OSCE chairman, Macedonian Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani lauded the statement, noting that corruption has long been a problem for the entire region. .
“The joint statement acknowledges that corruption weakens the rule of law, erodes trust in institutions, and jeopardizes social and economic development and prosperity, as well as stability and security,” Osmani said, as cited by the Macedonian News Agency/MIA.MK news site. “It represents a risk to the common values of the OSCE and provokes various forms of criminal activities”
The statement was signed by Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic, BiH Minister of Foreign Affairs Elmedin Konaković, Montenegrin Minister of Foreign Affairs Filip Ivanovic, Macedonia’s Osmani and Albanian Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Igli Hasani.
Photo Of Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic by European Commission, Attribution, via Wikimedia Commons.