Government Accountability Initiative Quarterly Report (January 1 - March 31, 2019)

The overall objective of GAI is to strengthen the capacities and connections of key Serbian government institutions and stakeholders, resulting in increased government accountability at the national and local levels. GAI consists of three components: Local Government Accountability, Independent Oversight Institutions (IOIs), and Adjudication of Corruption Cases. The Local Government Accountability component focuses on strengthening the capacities of local self-governments to increase transparency, public participation, financial discipline, and the quality of local service delivery. This is achieved through the development and implementation of Local Anti-Corruption Action Plans (LAPs) and the provision of technical assistance to local governments. In the first quarter of 2019, GAI intensified its technical assistance to seven selected local self-governments, including LAP development and monitoring, and organized a capacity-building workshop with the State Audit Institution to increase financial discipline. The Independent Oversight Institutions component aims to strengthen the capacities of independent oversight institutions, including the State Audit Institution and the Anti-Corruption Agency. GAI has provided technical assistance to these institutions, including mentoring assistance for performance audit teams and assistance to strengthen their communication skills. In the reporting period, GAI also initiated steps to support the drafting of an operation plan to begin implementing the Anti-Corruption Agency's new 5-year strategic plan. The Adjudication of Corruption Cases component focuses on strengthening the capacities of specialized anti-corruption courts and public prosecutor's offices to prosecute and adjudicate corruption cases. GAI is working to standardize prosecution and adjudication of corruption cases by facilitating the development of an Anti-Corruption Practicum, which will act as a guide for all legal professionals implementing the 2016 Law on the Organization and Jurisdiction of State Organs in the Suppression of Organized Crime, Terrorism, and Corruption. GAI's counterparts include the State Audit Institution, the Anti-Corruption Agency, local self-governments, specialized anti-corruption courts, and civil society organizations. The activity is structured around three work plan periods, with the first period covering February 6, 2018, to February 5, 2019. The overall objective of GAI is to increase government accountability at the national and local levels, and to strengthen the capacities and connections of key Serbian government institutions and stakeholders. In the first quarter of 2019, GAI achieved several notable milestones, including the intensification of technical assistance to seven selected local self-governments, the organization of a capacity-building workshop with the State Audit Institution, and the finalization of the delivery of introductory training on whistleblower protection to local governments in Serbia. GAI also continued to provide technical assistance to the State Audit Institution, the Anti-Corruption Agency, and specialized anti-corruption courts and public prosecutor's offices. The Government Accountability Initiative is a critical component of USAID's efforts to strengthen government accountability in Serbia. Through its three components, GAI aims to increase transparency, public participation, and financial discipline at the local level, and to strengthen the capacities of independent oversight institutions and specialized anti-corruption courts and public prosecutor's offices.