Corruption in the Balkans as an Obstacle to the Three-Seas-Initiative Overview of Anti-Corruption Institutions in Bulgaria, Croatia, Poland, Romania and Slovenia

Abstract

The aim of this article is to show the high level of corruption offences and the ineffectiveness of the existing legal and institutional solutions in the Balkan states, which are part of the Three-Seas initiative. The effectiveness of the regulations in force in these countries deviates from the standards set by the European Union. This has implications for the success of the Three-Seas-Initiative. The current state of affairs is the result of clashing ideas about the membership of Balkan countries in a particular sphere of influence. The services of the Russian Federation (GRU or SWR) play a significant role in maintaining the current status quo. Observation of corruption offences in the Balkans shows that the bodies set up to investigate corruption offences do not have effective powers to prevent, detect and prosecute such offences. An evaluation of the regulations in force in this area shows that they are ineffective. A solution which would ensure that the Balkans meet European standards on preventing and combating corruption could be theimplementation of the institutional model of the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau in force in the Republic of Poland by reforming the Balkan anti-corruption services.