almanac on security sector oversight in the Western Balkans

Bosnia and Herzegovina
Croatia
established in all security institutions but their personnel are not adequately
qualified for the responsibilities their positions entail and their independence
is questionable. Administrative capacities of the Public Procurement Agency
and Procurement Review Body are insufficient for the work they perform. Both
institutions are insufficiently staffed.. The Audit Office BiH’s reports indicate
certain improvements in the public procurement system of the security sector,
while also warning that full application of the Law on Public Procurements is
not ensured in some instances. The improvement of information availability,
through presentations of the Agency for Public Procurement to government
institutions, led to a higher degree of transparency and engagement of the
public in this process. The establishment of an electronic database on public
procurements would further contribute to transparency in this sector.
Recommendations:
• Security actors and other public institutions must project their budgets based
on actual employment dynamics. Currently, budgets are often projected
based on full employment implementation, which results in surpluses in
payment resources, and these surpluses are then able to be used for other
purposes.
• Stimulate the establishment of specialized nongovernmental organizations
in charge of monitoring and oversight of budgetary expenditures of security
institutions
• Strengthen administrative capacities and provide training for personnel
working in public procurement sections within security institutions.
• Simplify the procedure of public procurement of small value items and establish
an electronic database on public procurement within the framework of
the Agency for Public Procurement.
• Strengthen the administrative capacity of the Agency for Public Procurement
and the Procurement Review Body, as well as the capacities of contracting
bodies and their ability to implement the Law on Public Procurement.
Grades
PARLIAMENTARY CONTROL AND OVERSIGHT grade: 4
Executive Summary:
Competences for control and oversight of budgetary planning and spending
are fully regulated by laws, harmonized vertically and horizontally, and in line
with international standards. There is a decade-long track record of regular
oversight and control over budgetary planning and spending which during
this period has been substantially improved. Oversight of compliance with
laws and respect for human rights has also improved during the last ten years.
This includes an ever improving track-record of regular and effective oversight
and control over the use of special measures and coercive means as well as
the state of human rights. Abuses related to the use of special measures and
coercive means are few and far between and occur strictly on an individual
level, while perpetrators are dealt with effectively. In the case of violations of
the compliance of work with laws and human rights, parliament uses adequate
mechanisms to initiate procedures for establishing political responsibility and
changes to existing policies. Oversight and control over the implementation of
government policies is fully regulated by the constitution and laws. Adequate
mechanisms to initiate procedures for establishing political responsibility and
changes to existing policies are in place and in extensive use whenever there is
a reason to do so.
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Almanac on Security Sector Oversight in the Western Balkans