On April 28–30, Lithuania hosted a high-level meeting of anti-corruption institutions from the Baltic sea region countries. This was the 8-th such meeting between the heads of anti-corruption institutions from Lithuania, Poland, Latvia and Estonia. For the first time, delegations from Ukraine's anti-corruption institutions were invited to participate as special guests. In the context of war, the fight against corruption becomes not only a domestic issue, but a matter of shared regional responsibility.
During the meeting, participants discussed how the Baltic sea region countries can continue to support Ukraine by sharing experiences, knowledge and strengthening cooperation. Discussions also covered regional security and transparency.
“Regional cooperation is not just about exchanging relevant information, but also about strengthening trust on the path toward a safer state and a more transparent, fair society. We have maintained close relations with the heads of regional anti-corruption agencies for a long time. We see that regular information exchange, experience sharing and support in overcoming challenges not only provides valuable insights, but also enhances resilience to external threats” said Linas Pernavas, Director of the Special Investigation Service (STT).
At these regular meetings, representatives from neighboring anti-corruption institutions discuss current anti-corruption and regional cooperation issues, share experiences and highlight best practices. This year, in addition to the focus on Ukraine, special attention was given to cooperation within international networks (such as EPAC/EACN and the OECD Anti-Corruption Network for Eastern Europe and Central Asia – ACN), the search for innovative solutions, corruption prevention and strategic agreements.
The meeting was attended by leaders and experts from the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) of Latvia, the Estonian Internal Security Service (KAPO), the Corruption Crimes Bureau of the Central Criminal Police of the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board, the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau (CBA) of Poland, Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP).
