William Infante, UN permanent coordinator in Serbia - Threat of punishment is a powerful tool against corruption

(William Infante)

William Infante, UN permanent coordinator in Serbia is speaking for ekapija what are the steps Serbia should undertake in anti-corruption fight, what is "the winning combination" for Serbian economy, how bike will be promoted as transport means and how last year he rode 6.000 km by cycling through our country.

eKapija: You have recently supported the Serbian government`s fight against corruption. What are the next steps that Serbia needs to take in that anti-corruption fight?

-The most recent UNDP Corruption Benchmarking Survey showed that citizens in Serbia overwhelmingly support strong enforcement – 71% believe that “severe punishment” is the only way to win against corruption, and 79% want “harsh legal sanctions.” The government has adopted a policy of “Zero Tolerance” which is exactly the message that must be communicated, because it means that all wrongdoing will be punished. Of course, punishment has to fit the crime. Serious crimes will of course be prosecuted through the courts. Those convicted may spend time in prison, they may have assets seized, or both. Lesser infractions also demand a response – formal letters of reprimand, suspension from work, dismissal - these are all reasonable for lesser infractions, but are nonetheless important in reinforcing and implementing the “Zero Tolerance” policy. As public intolerance increases, the incidence of corruption will decrease, confidence in the government will increase, and ultimately this will lead to greater integrity in the public and private sectors.

This isn’t so far fetched. Look at the evidence that is accumulating over the past six months. According to our own studies, confidence doubled between June and December 2012, and the incidence of corruption was cut in half. 147 people have been named in media reports on corruption, and cases have been opened involving important people. A couple days ago I was in eastern Serbia the day after 5 officials in a company were taken into custody for alleged embezzlement. Over time, sustained efforts to combat corruption at all levels establishes a pattern that will show up in our research. We’re going to collect data for the next semi-annual Corruption Benchmarking Survey later this spring. I am confident that we will see sustained gains, and that the needles will continue to move in the right direction. I’m confident because other independent surveys that were conducted in March and April by other organizations point in this direction – and then there’s other evidence.

eKapija: According to some indicators, there was a change in the organization of the tender. When do you expect improvement in this segment?

-Last week Predrag Jovanovic from the Public Procurement Office and I held a press conference to talk about the dramatic gains that he has observed in procurement integrity: The number of non-competitive procurements dropped 75% and the number of irregular procurements fell 80% year-on-year. These are massive changes. One explanation could be that institutional capacity building is making a difference: the certification of procurement officials and other training may be having an effect. My hunch is that people who might have been tempted to wander outside of the boundaries of ethical behavior now think that they might get caught, and that they might be punished. The credible threat of punishment is a powerful deterrent to corruption.

eKapija: What do you see as key problems in the economic sphere of Serbia? Which steps do you expect the government to take to improve the economic situation in the country?

-In 1992 when Bill Clinton was elected, he inherited a nearly unbroken 30-year string of budget deficits. His campaign strategist James Carville summed it up: It’s the economy. By focusing on the economy - the U.S. generated jobs and growth that produced a four consecutive years of growing budget surpluses in the late 1990s. Focus, sound monetary and fiscal policy, a development strategy anchored to modern infrastructure and knowledge-based industries, and a little luck, turned the U.S. economy around. I’d argue that the same combination will work in Serbia.

Serbia’s per capita GDP* increased 50% between 2002 and 2012, but it has yet to regain pre-1990 levels. This is sobering, and with national unemployment rates teetering around 25%, the Government clearly has an economic problem. Once it is undistracted, and is free to focus on generating growth, then jobs and prosperity should follow, if the government articulates a vision, and clears the way for business to invest and create jobs. Monetary and fiscal policy have generally contributed to stability – but they have not contributed to growth. Interest rates need to come down in order for commercial credit and debt finance to begin to flow. Investment has also been lackluster, but there are encouraging signs that foreign and domestic funds are beginning to invest in heavy and light industry, manufacturing, IT, alternative energy and agriculture. These and other sectors will grow rapidly if the government and the private sector stick to what they do best: the government should regulate, tax; and promote transparency, good governance, and competition; and, the private sector should own, operate, abide by the laws and pay its taxes.

Over the past couple of months, I’ve spoken with a fair number of companies, many in the IT sector. Some have been domestic, some foreign. Almost unanimously, the rationale for new or increased investment in Serbia is the people. Serbia has a reputation for skilled engineers, mathematicians and quants. This is good, but Serbia, like virtually every country I’ve worked in, should redouble the amount it spends on education – beginning with the early years, and beginning with the basics like adopting student-focused and experiential education, and an updated curriculum. In my opinion, investing in education is the best long-term investment any one, or any country, can make. And these are the investments that will yield a modern and knowledge-based economy in the future.

eKapija: Serbia is one of 56 countries where the UN is going to implement the World We Want 2015 program. What are the key goals of sustainable development in the opinion of the citizens of Serbia?

-Serbia has implemented one of the broadest, most comprehensive and inclusive consultations in the world. Tens of thousands of people in Serbia told us about the “Serbia they Want” and the “World they Want.” Through face-to-face interviews, focus groups, seminars, blogs, Facebook, and Twitter we’ve reached literally hundreds of thousands of people. And what they want is a better and more secure job, an honest and responsive government, and a good education. These are the key goals of sustainable development, according to them.

The majority also said that corruption must be wiped out. Some talked about restoring old values associated with trust and tolerance. Building communities and neighborhoods where people help each other, and are not divided by race, culture or religion. What is also encouraging? The large number of voices that said that local communities have to be much more active, thay have a responsibility and a role ensuring that public opinions and needs are reflected in decision-making. People in Serbia are empowered and they want to be engaged.

eKapija: The UNDP is working on a project promoting bicycle as a means of transportation in Belgrade. Has there been any progress in the use of that means of transport in the past few years?

Belgrade is definitely making progress, thanks to the Secretariat for Transport and Land Development. With what we’ve accomplished in two short years, I’m confident that Belgrade will serve as a model for other cities and towns across the country, that also want to promote bicycles and sustainable transport. As for bicycling - the “Support to Sustainable Transport in the City of Belgrade” project has an entire component dedicated to fostering environmentally friendly transport, including bicycles.

Late last year, city Secretary Bojan Bovan gathered scores of cyclists for a town hall meeting. There were some great ideas, that will promote bike safety and sustainable transport. One young participant suggested that the city build a dirt park to get kids more involved in cycling for transport, as well as recreation. What’s important, is that the city is listening to all views – this is democracy.

People in Belgrade are certainly riding more, and more are cycling on regular basis to and from work and school. This is particularly apparent in the areas where bicycle paths already exist, particularly in New Belgrade. Of course, this would not be possible if there wasn’t for a strong cooperation with the city authorities, namely of Belgrade.

Raising awareness is part of the plan, and to do this, we’ve had a couple city-wide rides with hundreds of people – the last one began at Trg Republic, crossed into Novi Belgrade, crossed back over the spectacular Ada Bridge, and finished at Topcider Park. We have another couple event coming up this May, including a Cycling Marathon.

(Pedibus)

eKapija: What will be done under that project in Serbia in 2013?

-The project will beef up two public awareness campaigns that will promote cycling, and educate young folks on environmental issues, like global climate change and greenhouse gases. Of course, no cycling education would be complete without a lesson on traffic safety.

These campaigns have been for about a year each, and will include events and activities. One will be implemented within the framework of the “Safe Routes to Schools” campaign. This year the first pedibus trips will be organized with the “Sveti Sava” School. Our project organizers will walk with younger kids along the safe routes that have been marked with signs and reflector trips, and which now also have spped bumps to slow drivers down and thereby increase safety around the schools. We are also about to launch a training program on eco-driving that will create a pool of trainers and trained drivers in various city institutions and companies. Eco-driving saves fuel and money, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and pollution, and improves safety. And finally, in the autumn, we’ll celebrate European Mobility Week (September 16-23) as we have for the past two years since the project started.

eKapija: You often ride bicycle in your leisure time. Have you completed any cycling tour in Serbia?

-I’ve always been a rider, and for a while I was modestly competitive on the east coast of the U.S. where I raced with some great guys. That was a long time ago, and since then I had spent a lot more time in the mountains than on the road – until last year.

In late 2011 I celebrated a big birthday and bought myself my first road frame since the early 1990s -- Last year, 2012, I road a little more than 6,000 kilometers -- most within a 100 km radius from my house in Belgrade. Depending upon the weekend and the weather, my good friend Belgian Ambassador Alain Kundycki, and I rode some great routes through Umka to Valjevo and back, or to Obetska Bara and Sabac. We got to know the eastern part of the country because of a number of rides, including a 120 km tour named “Biking the Banat” which had more than 70 biking-riding friends.

Biking the Banat was the first of several tours that I dubbed “cycling diplomacy.” By riding with lots of people through lots of towns tours we’re “bringing people, communities, and countries” together. As a result of riding I’ve seen some spectacular sites, and met some really great people whom I’ve gotten to know very well – you can’t be a stranger after spending 5 or 6 hours riding together!

S.O.