<p>In this issue<br /><br />Two powerful institutions, the World Bank and United Nations took advantage of the International Anti-Corruption Day – December 9 – to send rather strong messages for strengthening the fight against corruption.<br /><br />The World Bank urged for launching an  International Corruption Hunters Alliance to facilitate monitoring of more serious cases of corruption, in particular the ones notified by this institution. The Bank has debarred over 100 firms and individuals over acts of fraud and corruption, which are automatically denied contracting opportunities at other multilateral development banks. The most productive of these cases was the one of last July against the German industrial conglomerate ‘Siemens’, which has been shut out from the World Bank financed projects for two years and committed to pay $100 million to support anti-corruption work.<br /><br />UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says that corruption is a threat to development, democracy and stability.  It distorts markets, curbs economic growth and discourages foreign investment.  It erodes public services and trust in officials.  And it contributes to environmental damage and endangers public health by enabling the illegal dumping of hazardous waste and the production and distribution of counterfeit medicines.<br /><br />The Balkan region is witnessing one of the most serious corruption scandals – the detention of former Croatian Prime Minister Sanader. In this issue we are publishing an analysis of the affair of Croatian journalist Goran Jungvirt, who says that before any trial is to be taken in consideration some experts have already declared the former premier as guilty for masterminding the wide-spread system for financial services, based on embezzling the state property.<br /><br />Sport activities are often in the focus of large corruption affairs. Their connection with substantial amounts of money and large population is making it attractive to dirty businesses. If a century ago the head of modern Olympic Games, Pierre de Coubertin, said that ‘Money is the sports worst enemy,’ we may rightfully ask ourselves why the modern society consciously scarifies the second most important matter to people across the globe – sports. Legal expert and sport worker Damjan Siskovski offers detailed analysis on corruption in sports. Finally this issue presents the key findings of the monitoring of the public procurements in the Q3 of this year, as well as the recommendations for narrowing the room for abuse and corruption in spending public funds.<br /><br />We believe this pre-New Year issue offers useful articles for your contribution to more transparent, honest society. We also send New Year greetings, extend gratitude for being with us in the course of this year and wish you good health, happiness and professional success in the upcoming period.<br /><br /><a href="../images/stories/mak_br12_ang_final.pdf">The twelfth MAK issue can be found here</a></p>