On May 15-16, 2003, the Institute for Public Policy (IPP) in Bucharest together with the Romanian Civil Servants National Agency held a two-day international workshop on “Conflict of Interest in the Local Public Administration - Regulations and Control Mechanisms” which took place in Sinaia, Romania.
Participants in the conference were representatives of the Romanian government, including the Minister of Public Administration, representatives of the Ministry of Justice, MPs, and senators, representatives of the Council of Europe and the European Commission, as well as of non-governmental organizations. Through inviting a number of international experts, practitioners, and representatives of state institutions from Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland and Moldova, IPP aimed to facilitate the exchange of expertise among countries.
The major goal of the conference was to discuss the anticorruption legislation in Romania and the neighboring countries and specifically – the mechanisms of application of this legislation and control at the local level, including anticorruption initiatives of non-governmental organizations. The core of discussion was the Law on Conflict of interests, or the so called “Law 161”, adopted by the Romanian Parliament and in force since April 23, 2003. State experts from Poland, Hungary and Moldova presented the anticorruption legislation of the respective countries. Bulgarian legislation was presented by Mr. Hristo Panayotov, senior expert in the State Administration Directorate with the Council of Ministers.
The second day of the conference was focused on the problems of corruption at the local level – in the regional and local structures and in the non-government sector.
Dr. Zhivka Damyanova, senior expert of Coalition 2000, presented Coalition 2000’s program "Transparency of Local Authorities” and the experience in institutionalizing the civic participation and control over the local self-government through the establishment of a Civic Council for Fighting Corruption at the local level, Civic Observer in the Municipal Council, monitoring of public auctions, local ombudsmen etc.
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