UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) Resident Representative Richardson, Director Nuhiu, Director Havolli, Executive Director Balija, Mr. Preniqi, ladies and gentlemen.

It is my pleasure to welcome you on behalf of Switzerland to the launch of the UNDP and Financial Intelligence Unit Politically Exposed Persons typologies.

Switzerland, in partnership with the Danish International Development Agency, is proud sponsor of the Support to Anti-corruption Efforts in Kosovo project implemented by UNDP.

We all know that corruption is bad, that corrupters and corrupted are delinquents who deserve to be punished, that corruption distorts political and economic decision, damaging rule of law and finally being detrimental to citizens.

We all know that.

We also know that years of statements by local authorities and international partners didn’t really have an impact on reducing corruption.

Why is that?

I see two main reasons:

1.    The first one is an environment inductive to corruption, including for example: inadequate legislation, poor qualification of civil servants, insufficient salaries of the public sector, misuse of strong solidarities (family, clan and party, etc.). The authorities, with our support, should support all efforts to improve this environment.

2.    The second reason is related of the lack of clear and effective support to police, prosecutors and judges, in order to guarantee them independence and safety while enquiring, incriminating and condemning people involved in corruption and abuse of power. Kosovo citizen don’t need other words condemning corruption but deserve results and strong evidences for an effective fight against corruption. We expect the top political leadership of Kosovo to demonstrate this support and this political will. It will not be easy and results could be unpleasant, as the country is small and everybody knows each other. Without this support, any strategy will be useless.

All this will take time and will be painful. But other countries started this process.

Said that, I am not saying that all politicians and high officials as corrupt. Most people enter public service to do well and to improve the lives of their citizens. It is precisely for these upstanding people that countries have developed publically available assets and income declarations of high officials, and Politically Exposed Persons anti-money laundering measures. It is important to protect and safeguard the reputation of honest officials by maintaining an anti-corruption system by which the bad apples get weeded out. In this context, the ongoing vetting process in Albania is quite an interesting exercise.

I look forward to and anticipate progress in Kosovo’s fight against corruption, with Switzerland support through the UNDP SAEK and other projects.

I thank you for your attention.