Town of Martin Passes Package of Anti-Corruption Measures, with Embassy Assistance

The town of Martin (Žilina region) on April 25 passed a comprehensive package of anti-corruption measures, meeting one goal in its anti-corruption strategy launched in co-operation with Transparency International Slovakia (TIS) in July 2008. The project is partly supported by a grant from the U.S. Embassy in Slovakia. "Corruption in business and the town's weak spots in supervising public procurements could have a deep impact on the health of the region, and on the whole country in fact," former Ambassador Vincent Obsitnik at a press briefing in July 2008. According to the town’s mayor, Andrej Hrnciar, thanks to these new measures, transparency will be increased in many aspects of the town's governance and budget. Town council spokesman Jozef Petras explained that the first phase of the project - carried out in July and August 2008 - was a far-reaching audit of the existing situation. The second phase involved the preparation of anti-corruption measures. "The third phase was the passing of these measures at Saturday's extraordinary meeting, and their launch in practice," he said.