24/02/2016 – The OECD Working Group on Bribery expresses its serious concern regarding the situation of the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption (CPC) in Slovenia. The CPC is an important element of Slovenia’s legal and institutional anti-corruption framework and has a crucial role in the detection and investigation of foreign bribery. Therefore, the independence, resources and effectiveness of the CPC is of particular interest to the Working Group.
At the time of the Phase 3 evaluation of Slovenia in 2014, the Working Group already expressed concerns over possible political interference in the operation of the CPC. Accordingly, Slovenia was asked to ensure that the exercise of the CPC’s powers, in particular for the foreign bribery offence, is not subject to improper influence by concerns of a political nature, as foreseen in Article 5 of the Convention. The Working Group also raised at that time the issue of the adequacy of financial and human resources available to the CPC.
No reform has materialised since 2014 that would have responded to the concerns raised in relation to Article 5 of the Convention. On the contrary, the Working Group notes that the CPC continues to face important challenges in carrying out its duties. These challenges particularly relate to the capacity of the CPC to efficiently implement its mandate, achieve results in full independence and maintain its power, leadership and influence in the public.
Given the seriousness of these issues, the Working Group calls on Slovenia to urgently take all appropriate measures to address the situation of the CPC and ensure that the CPC can implement its mandate in full independence and with the appropriate resources. Progress in this area will be closely monitored by the Working Group. It is in particular expected that progress be made by June 2016 when Slovenia next reports on the measures taken to implement the recommendations made by the Working Group at the time of its evaluation in 2014.
For further information, journalists are invited to contact Daisy Pelham of the OECD Anti-Corruption Division ([email protected]; +33 (0)1 45 24 90 81) or the OECD Media Division (+33 (0)1 45 24 97 00).
For more information on the implementation of the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention in Slovenia, please visit: http://www.oecd.org/corruption/slovenia-oecdanti-briberyconvention.htm.
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