| NWC Collaboration in Bosnia and Herzegovina |
In March 2012, NWC Executive Director Stephen Kohn visited Bosnia and Herzegovina to work with local government officials and NGOs to help establish whistleblower protections and promote anti-corruption.
Kohn was an honored guest and participant at the founding convention of the Bosnian Whistleblowers Association “Uzbunjivaci protiv korupcije” in Sarajevo, the capital of BiH.
Founding Conference – Kohn discusses the importance for strong laws for whistleblowers
Bojan Bajic (standing), coordinator of the initiative for the protection of whistleblowers addressing a group of Bosnian whistleblowers at the founding convention
Members and participants at the founding conference of the whistleblowers in Bosnia organization.
Addressing employees and contractors at the U.S. Embassy on the need for strong whistleblower protections
Accompanied by leaders from the Bosnian Whistleblowers NGO, Kohn met with Chairwoman Karolina Pavlovic of the House of Peoples of the Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Kohn discussed the importance of the Parliament enacting strong whistleblower protections.
Stephen Kohn and Ms. Karolina Pavlovic, Chairwoman of the House of People of the Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Kohn and the House of People of the Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
A major highlight of the visit was Kohn’s participation in a government and NGO headed roundtable where various constituents pledged their support for whistleblowers.
Participants included U.S. Ambassador Patrick Moon, the head of Bosnia's Agency for the Prevention of Corruption and Coordination of the Fight against Corruption, the Cabinet of the Chair of the Council of Ministers, parliamentarians from the House of Peoples of BiH, and representatives from the Ministries of Justice of BiH and FBiH, the Court of BiH, FBiH Bar Association, Transparency International, the British Embassy, and USAID.
Roundtable discussion with Stephen Kohn, U.S. Ambassador Patrick Moon, representatives of the anti-corruption agency, prosecutors and court organizations, NGOs and other.
U.S. Ambassador Patrick Moon, Stephen Kohn, and Bojan Bajic at the roundtable discussion
During the roundtable discussion, Kohn presented the “Road map for better protection of whistleblowers in BiH” which included the 10 principles necessary to protect employees, so they can detect and report fraud without fear of reprisal.
With the support of the American and British embassies the Bosnian Whistleblowers Association translated and published the 10 principles to protecting whistleblowers written by Stephen Kohn. They were provided to high ranking officials as a foundation of Bosnian whistleblowing law.
Kohn and Ambassador Patrick Moon held a press conference urging the Bosnian government to enact effective protections for whistleblowers.
Kohn and Ambassador Patrick Moon strongly supporting better legal protection for BiH whistleblowers
Press conference on the need to support whistleblowers in BiH
Kohn and Patrick Moon
Kohn was invited to make numerous public presentations such as a lecture at the RS Police Academy in affiliation with the University of Banja Luka to discuss the topic, “What is a Whistleblower?”
Kohn presenting at the RS Police Academy
News Articles and Radio Coverage from the trip:
"Steven Kohn, Director of the National Whistleblowers Center
BiH LEADERS NEED TO FIGHT CORRUPTION"
“Road map for better protection of whistleblowers in BiH
The Ten Principles""
