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Business Corruption in Bosnia and Herzegovina: A Snapshot

Bribery and corruption are significant issues in Bosnia and Herzegovina, affecting businesses and the overall economy. Here’s a summary of key findings on the prevalence and frequency of bribery in the country.

Prevalence of Bribery

According to recent surveys, about 65% of businesses had at least one direct contact with a public official or civil servant in the 12 months prior to the survey. Unfortunately, this interaction often resulted in bribery. Here are some key statistics:

• Prevalence rate: Approximately 10.4% of businesses who interacted with public officials paid a bribe.
• Comparison to regional average: Bosnia and Herzegovina’s prevalence rate (10.4%) is almost equal to the regional average (10.2%).

Frequency of Bribery

Businesses that paid bribes did so an average of 6.6 times during the 12 months prior to the survey, which is slightly lower than the regional average of 7.1.

• Frequency rate: Businesses paid bribes an average of 6.6 times in a year.
• Comparison to regional average: The frequency rate in Bosnia and Herzegovina (6.6) is slightly lower than the regional average (7.1).

Variation between Entities

There are significant differences in the prevalence and frequency of bribery across different entities in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

• Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH):
  • Prevalence rate: 13.2%
  • Frequency rate: 7.4
• Republika Srpska (RS):
  • Prevalence rate: 5.5%
  • Frequency rate: 4.8

These findings highlight the need for effective measures to combat corruption and bribery in Bosnia and Herzegovina, particularly in the FBiH where rates are significantly higher than in RS.