On 6 November, the Regional Anti-corruption Initiative (RAI) successfully held its 47th Steering Board Meeting in Sarajevo, bringing together representatives of RAI member states and partner organisations to review progress, align priorities, and strengthen regional cooperation in the fight against corruption across South East Europe.

The meeting served as an important platform to assess achievements, exchange perspectives, and define strategic directions for the coming period, reaffirming RAI’s role as a key regional mechanism for promoting integrity, transparency, and accountability.

Key Topics Discussed

The Steering Board Meeting addressed several strategic and operational issues, including:

1. Review of RAI Secretariat’s activities and results in 2025,
2. Work plan and budget for the upcoming period,
3. Progress in the implementation of regional projects, including the SEE-ERA initiative on gender equality in research and innovation,
4. Discussion on new priorities and opportunities for cooperation with partner organisations.

RAI Director, Mr. Albert Hani, underlined the importance of sustained collaboration and mutual trust among stakeholders:

“Our strength lies in partnership and trust. By working together, we can make anti-corruption efforts in South East Europe more effective, sustainable, and impactful.”

The discussions highlighted the growing relevance of regional cooperation in addressing complex governance challenges and reinforced the shared commitment of RAI members to advancing anti-corruption standards in the region.

Key Conclusions and Decisions:

1. The Steering Group took note of the information on the RAI Secretariat’s activities related to Overview and Plan (achievements in 2025 and upcoming activities),
2. The RAI Programme 2026-2028 was presented and approved,
3. The budget for 2026 was presented and approved,
4. The Founding and Statutory Act Roadmap was presented and endorsed,
5. The Governance and Operational Framework Roadmap was presented and endorsed,
6. RAI Strategy 2027-2029 development Roadmap was presented and endorsed,
7. The Steering Group selected new RAI Motto: Integrity in Action: United Against Corruption for a Better Future

The 47th Steering Board Meeting reaffirmed RAI’s strategic direction and collective commitment to strengthening regional cooperation, enhancing institutional frameworks, and advancing good governance for a more transparent and accountable South East Europe.

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A new EU-supported anti-corruption project, Reinventing Anti-Corruption Monitoring and Policymaking (RAMP), has officially been launched in Sofia, bringing together a strong consortium of leading European expert institutions. The project aims to strengthen evidence-based policymaking and enhance institutional capacities to address corruption across Europe.

The Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative (RAI) is implementing the project together with its partners – the Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD), Università degli Studi di Perugia (UNIPG), Asociatia pentru Cooperare si Dezvoltare Durabila (ACDD), and FIADYS – Fundación para la Investigación Aplicada en Delincuencia y Seguridad.

RAMP was officially launched at the kick-off meeting titled “Integrity in Action: Advancing Data-Driven Anti-Corruption Solutions,” which gathered experts, researchers, and practitioners to discuss innovative approaches to corruption risk assessment and anti-corruption policy monitoring.

The project will develop and pilot an integrated toolset for assessing corruption risks and monitoring anti-corruption policies, with a particular focus on key systemic threats, including state capture vulnerabilities, strategic corruption, and organised crime influence.

Building on existing EU methodologies – notably Monitoring Anti-Corruption Policy Implementation (MACPI) and sector-level state capture monitoring (SCEMAPS) – RAMP seeks to upscale, simplify, and operationalise these tools, making them more accessible, practical, and impactful for public institutions, policymakers, and practitioners.

The project is led by the Center for the Study of Democracy (Bulgaria) in partnership with Università degli Studi di Perugia (Italy), FIADYS (Spain), and ACDD, and is co-funded by the European Union.

RAI Director Mr. Albert Hani, MSc, actively contributed to the consortium’s expert discussions and the further refinement of the project methodology. He reaffirmed RAI’s strong commitment to the implementation of all project activities, highlighting RAI’s key role in outreach, regional cooperation, and stakeholder engagement.

Mr. Hani also emphasised that RAMP is expected to deliver a practical, sustainable, and institutionalised anti-corruption tool, owned by public institutions themselves and coordinated by the Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative, ensuring long-term impact beyond the project’s duration.

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Moderated by Albert Hani, Director of RAI, and Constantine Palicarsky, Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer at UNODC, the session examined how inclusive and evidence-based anti-corruption strategies deliver practical outcomes and lasting institutional impact. Speakers shared concrete examples, lessons learned, and recommendations for strengthening regional cooperation, bringing forward the voices of those who turn political commitments into real change.

Arben Fetai, Deputy Prime Minister in charge of Good Governance of North Macedonia, underlined the decisive role of political leadership in moving from strategy to implementation, emphasizing strong political will and the systematic inclusion of civil society, think tanks, and academia as watchdogs and partners. From Albania, Fotjona Drace, Director of Cabinet at the Office of the Minister of State for Public Administration and Anti-Corruption, highlighted digitalization, integrity frameworks, EU integration-driven reforms, and close cooperation with partners such as RAI as key enablers of measurable anti-corruption results.

Dušan Drakić, Acting Director of Montenegro’s Agency for Prevention of Corruption, stressed the importance of independent institutions with sufficient powers and resources, pointing to the Treaty on Exchange of Data for Verification of Asset Declarations as a concrete regional tool that is now delivering results following its entry into force. Ambassador Uglješa Zvekić of the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime emphasized strategic leverage points for strengthening integrity within criminal justice systems, while Daniela Mineva of the Center for the Study of Democracy presented practical methodologies developed under EU-funded projects implemented in partnership with RAI, supporting countries in measuring progress and addressing state capture and strategic corruption. Representing civil society, Snezhana Kamilovska, a member of the UNCAC Coalition, stressed that civil society has the greatest impact when it is included from the very beginning of the anti-corruption process and meaningfully involved in both drafting and implementation.

Despite diverse national contexts and multi-stakeholder perspectives, three common conclusions emerged from the discussion: the central role of independent anti-corruption bodies with adequate powers and resources; the importance of effective tools for transparency, integrity, and digitalization developed through a multi-stakeholder approach; and the indispensable role of political will and effective law enforcement, without which even the best strategies cannot succeed.

At CoSP11, Southeast Europe demonstrated that regional cooperation delivers results. By presenting concrete tools, practices, and solutions developed collectively, the session reaffirmed RAI’s role as a platform for cooperation, knowledge-sharing, and support to countries, particularly on their EU accession paths and sent a clear message from Doha: inclusive, evidence-based strategies lead to lasting anti-corruption impact.

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The Directive establishes a unified EU framework by harmonising definitions of corruption-related criminal offences, including bribery in the public and private sectors, misappropriation, obstruction of justice, trading in influence, and illicit enrichment. It also introduces minimum penalty thresholds, strengthens corporate liability, reinforces prevention and enforcement mechanisms, and enhances protection for whistleblowers.

As an intergovernmental organization working closely with its member countries—both EU Member States and EU candidate countries—RAI strongly supports this important legislative development. The Directive addresses long-standing fragmentation in EU anti-corruption legislation and provides a clearer, more consistent basis for cross-border cooperation and effective enforcement.

The agreement, proposed by the European Commission in May 2023 and reached between the European Parliament and the Council in December 2025, requires Member States to transpose the Directive into national law within a defined implementation period following its formal adoption.

RAI considers this Directive a key reference framework for future anti-corruption reforms. In line with its mandate, RAI will integrate the Directive’s standards into its regional activities, policy guidance, capacity-building efforts, and project deliverables, with particular attention to supporting EU accession countries in aligning national frameworks with EU requirements.

By strengthening national anti-corruption bodies, improving whistleblower protection, and enhancing cooperation among EU institutions and law enforcement authorities, the Directive represents a significant advancement in Europe’s collective fight against corruption. RAI remains committed to supporting its effective implementation and to fostering regional cooperation based on shared standards, trust, and practical solutions.

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Held on the margins of CoSP11, this important exchange served as a platform to discuss current national and regional anti-corruption priorities and explore future avenues for enhanced cooperation within the RAI framework. Delegations provided reflections and guidance on strategic and thematic priorities for the upcoming period, including the International Treaty on Exchange of Data for Asset Declaration Verification and RAI’s ongoing institutional reform process.

While national priorities vary across the countries, one message was shared by all participants: strong support for RAI as a trusted platform for regional cooperation facilitating knowledge exchange, sharing good practices, and helping countries advance with concrete anti-corruption tools and measures. Delegations also underlined the need for RAI to continue growing in capacity and reach, particularly to better support countries on their EU accession path and in delivering measurable reform outcomes.

The meeting brought together representatives from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, and Ukraine.

Concluding the meeting, Mr. Albert Hani, RAI Director, emphasized the value of regular coordination among members and observers, noting that such discussions should be held whenever possible to better align priorities and strengthen joint action. He reaffirmed that RAI exists because of its members and remains committed to standing by them in support of their national and regional anti-corruption priorities.

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Purpose of the Events

The main objective of this activity is to ensure that newly generated project knowledge, good practices, and innovative tools are effectively disseminated to relevant national stakeholders. These events help promote the use of project outputs and ensure their impact extends beyond the project’s lifetime.

Highlights from Work Packages Presented

Work Package 2: Inventory and analysis of the current state of AID systems in EU Member States and Candidate States and identification of best practices

WP2 mapped and analyzed AID systems in EU Member states and Candidate states, documenting their characteristics, achievements, shortcomings, advantages and disadvantages, and identifying best practices. Key tasks included:

1. Survey design
2. Online administration
3. Development of the comprehensive report on AID systems

Work Package 3: focused on developing a standardized EU risk analysis framework that supports filtering of declarations and prioritization of verification. Additionally, WP3 delivered a roadmap for implementing automated and digital risk analysis of asset declarations and interests.

Key tasks included drafting, refining, interviews and finalizing the framework and producing a report on risk analysis and digitalization.

Work Package 4: Development and validation of a methodological toolkit for assessing the impact of asset and interest declaration systems.

WP4 developed and validated a user-friendly, integrated toolkit for assessing the impact of AID systems. The toolkit was tested in Italy, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, and North Macedonia.

Deliverables included:

1. Draft toolkit
2. Testing and finalization
3. Final report with methodological toolkit

By facilitating exchange among experts, anti-corruption practitioners, and institutions, today’s events contributed to enhancing:

1. Knowledge on effective AID systems
2. Understanding of risk analysis and digital verification
3. Capacity of anti-corruption bodies across the EU and candidate countries

The qAID project continues to support stronger, more transparent, and more impactful asset and interest disclosure systems across Europe.

The project (co-financed by the European Commission under the ISF programme) is coordinated by the Centre for Security and Crime Sciences of the University of Trento and the University of Verona and carried out in collaboration with the National Anti-Corruption Authority (ANAC, Italy), the Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative (RAI) Secretariat, the Agency Națională de Integritate (Romania’s anti-corruption agency), and the Center for the Study of Democracy (research centre based in Bulgaria).

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Opening remarks were delivered by Mr Albert Hani, Director of the RAI Secretariat, who underscored the vital role of young people in shaping a more transparent and accountable future and Ms Teodora Stolevska, Head of Programs at RYCO, who encouraged participants to remain proactive drivers of positive change within their societies.

Mr David Muckenhuber, Head of the Regional Coordination Office at the Austrian Embassy, reaffirmed that International Partnership Austria’s strong support for youth-led anti-corruption initiatives in the Western Balkans.

Participants engaged in interactive presentations exploring key themes such as transparency and accountability, building trust between youth and government, and strengthening cooperation between public institutions and civil society organisations. The agenda also featured participatory workshops, where participants took the lead in discussing and reflecting on pressing corruption-related challenges.

The participants had the opportunity to answer questions and share their opinions. They discussed various topics and expressed their thoughts openly. It was a great chance for them to engage in conversation and learn from each other’s experiences. Everyone appreciated the chance to participate and felt that their voices were heard.

SEE-TAC II regional programme is funded by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) with funds from the Austrian Development Cooperation and implemented by RAI, in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The series of youth-centered events will continue throughout the duration of the project.

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Our second stop was Albania where the trainings was held in a period 02–05 December 2025 in Tirana, gathering:

1. 28 representatives from 10 institutions from Environment sector, and
2. 18 representatives from 6 security institutions.

The Environment training was officially opened by Ms Silvana Ramadani, Advisor of the Minister, Ministry for Public Administration and Anti-corruption of Albania who stated that RAI remains, without question, an irreplaceable platform for cooperation among the countries of the region in developing modern anti-corruption policies, mechanisms, and practices, as well as an important technical partner for their effective implementation. Ms Erinda Toska, Representative of the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) Coordination Office in Tirana underlined that progress under Chapter 27 – Environment and Climate Change requires not only technical reforms but also strong governance, transparency, and accountability. Finally, Albert Hani, RAI Director, stressed the importance of robust anti-corruption mechanisms for Albania’s public governance on its EU accession path.

The Security sector training was opened by Ms Rovena Pregja, Director in the General Directorate of Anticorruption, Ministry of Public Administration and Anti-Corruption of Albania, and Mr Albert Hani, Director of the RAI.

Both speakers underscored that applying sector-specific CRA and CPL is essential for reducing corruption and limiting its harmful impact on society, while also highlighting the value of the newly developed CRA and CPL Guidance and accompanying checklists..

Across day one and two, participants gained:

1. A clear introduction to CRA and CPL concepts, methodologies, and international standards in Biodeversity Protection and Police /Ministry of Interior area
2. Practical experience applying CRA/CPL tools to real-life cases
3. Interactive group work on identifying corruption risks and defining mitigation measures in existing legislation and procedures

Experts from PROSPECTOR LLC supported the sessions, guiding participants through vulnerabilities, assessment processes, and risk mapping as well as CRA and CPL methodologies tailored to the specific operational realities. The sessions remained highly interactive, enriched by practical exercises, peer learning, and open discussion.

The CRA and CPL trainings in Tirana were also part of Integrity week in Albania, conducted under the SEE-TAC II regional programme, implemented by the RAI in cooperation with the Ministry of Public Administration and Anti-Corruption of Albania and UNODC’s Civil Society Unit, and funded by the International Partnership Austria through the Austrian Development Agency. The programme aims to strengthen the resilience of Western Balkan societies working closely with national institutions, adapting activities to their specific needs and aligning them with national anti-corruption priorities.

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This high-level regional event served as a platform for policy dialogue, peer learning, and the exchange of innovative practices to advance integrity, transparency, and accountability as fundamental pillars of good governance and the European integration process.

RAI Director Albert Hani participated as a panelist in the high-level session on regional perspectives, highlighting the importance of collective action in advancing good-governance reforms.

“When we work together as a region – openly, honestly, and with shared ownership, we move from policies on paper to real impact on the ground. Regional solidarity is our biggest strength in building institutions that citizens can trust,” said Mr. Hani.

Ministers, experts, journalists, civil society, and international partners gathered to discuss how policies can translate into measurable results, how technology and artificial intelligence can become allies in the fight against corruption, and how institutions that genuinely serve citizens can be strengthened.

At the conclusion of the Forum, participants adopted the Skopje Declaration as a public pledge grounded in standards, transparency, and concrete work. The initiative marks the beginning of an annual regional process aimed at building institutions that truly deserve the trust of the people.

RAI is proud to support this momentum and remains committed to advancing integrity systems and regional cooperation across Southeast Europe.

The Forum was convened by the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia, under the leadership of Mr. Arben Fetai, Deputy Prime Minister for Good Governance Policies, with the support of the Support to European Integration of North Macedonia project, funded by Sweden and Switzerland, and implemented by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).

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