At this important meeting that marked a big step towards increased regional ownership and leadership, it was decided among others to:
- Rename SPAI as Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative (RAI) in the accordance of the transformation from Stability Pact to Regional Co-operation Council;
- Elect a new Chairperson from the region;
- Approve appointment of the new Head of the Secretariat and the new Anti-Corruption Expert;
- Adopt the new Strategic Document of the Initiative (as well as terms of reference for the Chairman and the Secretariat);
- Adopt the Work Plan for 2008-2009;
- Take concrete measures aiming to implement the MoU that ensures financial sustainability of the Secretariat.
Decisions of the SPAI Steering Group
The Steering Group:
- adopted the new name of the Initiative as Regional Anti-corruption Initiative (RAI) in accordance with the transformation of the Stability Pact to the Regional Cooperation Council;
- agreed that SPAI RSLO as the Secretariat of the Initiative, based in Sarajevo, would accordingly become the RAI Secretariat;
- elected Mrs. Vesna Ratkovic as the new Chairman of the Regional Anti-corruption Initiative;
- approved the appointment of Mr. Edmond Dunga as the new Head of the Office and Mr. Stanislav Aleksandrov as the new Anti-corruption Expert of the RAI Secretariat;
- adopted the new Strategic document of the Initiative, Chairman Terms of Reference (ToR), Secretariat ToR, Office Policies Manual, Work Plan 2008-2009 (chapter related to Steering Group in Annex 1 - Strategic document will be adopted through electronic procedure);
- decided that Public Awareness Campaigns would be identified and ensured through member countries means;
- decided to continue and strengthen further important initiatives and activities such as Twining and Internship Program, and Summer school;
- noted and urged countries to propose concrete topics for trainings and conferences;
- noted and urged countries in order to quickly and fully implement MoU, to inform RAI Chairman and Secretariat on eventual future timing of payments, as well as to notify to Croatia, as a depositary state, the fulfilment of obligations deriving from MoU;
- agreed that selection procedure for the second Anti-corruption Expert from the region will be launched;
- agreed that RAI Secretariat, with the support of the Secretary General of RCC, would undertake further necessary steps with Bosnia and Herzegovina Government in order to amend SPAI RSLO Headquarters Agreement and to negotiate finding new RAI Secretariat premises;
- agreed that under the RAI Chairman guidance, RAI Secretariat would initiate discussions with the RAI Senior Representatives in order to identify the host country of the 12th RAI Steering Group during 2008.