Belgrade, Dec 9, 2003 - Serbia-Montenegro is due to sign the United Nations Convention against Corruption in Mexico on Tuesday.
Thanks to the results achieved in the fight against corruption and its readiness to establish the rule of law, the state union was allowed to join the convention in the preparation of which it has participated over the last three years, the Serbian Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement.
The UN General Assembly unanimously adopted the convention on Oct 31, opening it for signature from Dec 9 to 11. The Assembly also designated Dec 9 as the International Anti-Corruption Day.
The Ministry said it is determined to combat corruption, improve international cooperation, apply the highest anti-corruption standards and promote responsibility, the statement said.
The convention, to be signed by Serbia-Montenegrin Ambassador to Mexico Vesna Pesic, obliges the state union to pass regulations allowing access to information of public importance, determine codes of conduct for public servants, prevent the conflict of public and private interest and set up a specialised body for fighting corruption.
The Ministry has already drafted laws on the prevention of conflict of interest and the agency for fighting corruption, whose adoption it expects to be one of the priorities next year, the statement said.
Serbia-Montenegro has already incorporated some of the convention articles in domestic legislation, including the financing of political parties and election campaigns, public procurements, budgetary procedure, as well as management of public funds. According to experts, the legislation is in line with international recommendations and ranks among the best in the field.
As part of its international activities, the Ministry joined the Stability Pact Anti-Corruption Initiative in October 2001, and became a full member of the Council of Europe's Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) in July 2003.
