"Operation Maestro has once again shown that preventive measures and transparency are the best way to suppress corruption. Had the procedures in the Croatian Privatisation Fund been transparent, violations of legal regulations would have been discovered a long time ago and murky dealings would have been prevented. Had the state introduced declarations of assets, it would have been easy to detect whose lifestyle exceeds their financial possibilities, and authorities could have intervened without a problem," TIH said in the statement.
The organisation said this was a good opportunity to consider introducing new regulations aimed at suppressing corruption, including Article 20 of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC).
The organisation also proposed that all state officials and civil servants be obliged to prove the origin of their assets significantly exceeding their regular income. The organisation is confident that the introduction of declarations of assets for all citizens would significantly contribute to the fight against corruption.