Information for Foreigners

The reform of internal control

According to strategic documents, the Action Plan for Chapter 23, the Action Plan for the Implementation of the National Strategy for Combating Corruption and the National Programme for the Adoption of the Acquis (NPAA 2014-2018), the Sector has analyzed the current legislative framework and capacities of the Sector and developed the Plan of Activities and Measures that will improve the capacities of the Internal Control Sector in the fight against corruption in the Ministry of the Interior.

Development of normative framework - the new Police Law envisages that the Internal Control Sector has new responsibilities:

  • Increasing competence of ICS to control activities performed by police officers and all employees of the MoI
  • Heads of controlled organizational units of the MoI are responsible for the execution of the measures ordered by authorized officials of the Sector
  • Conducting the test of integrity
  • Checking changes in the financial status of MoI employees (managers, as well as for high-risk jobs in the Ministry as defined by the corruption risk analysis)
  • Conducting corruption risk analysis and the development of the corruption risk directory for the MoI
  • The Internal Control Sector performs preventive control of all organizational units in the Ministry
  • If, in the course of their activities, organizational units of the Ministry obtain information that an MoI employee committed a criminal offense, at work or in connection with work, they are obliged to immediately submit the information they have to the Internal Control Sector, within 24 hours after obtaining the information at the latest
  • The Law lists severe breaches of all the above provisions, which are aimed at strengthening the accountability of heads of all organizational units of the MoI.

The Sector has proposed the adoption of new secondary legislation in accordance with the amendments to the Police Law, which will be followed by the development of clear procedures in Sector’s operation:

  • Rules on the manner and forms of performance of internal control
  • Rules on conducting the integrity test
  • Rules on the manner of conducting the corruption risk analysis in the MoI
  • Rules on the records of property statements and checks of financial status changes
  • Rules of Procedure of the Internal Control Sector

Improvement of human and technical capacities of the Sector - Organizational strengthening of ICS and the increased number of employees in accordance with the new competencies and defined strategic documents; Acquisition of equipment (especially for covert surveillance) and software and training of ICS employees.

The introduction of new preventive mechanisms to combat corruption - In accordance with good practices of counterpart services in Europe, and as provided by the new Police Law, the Sector will be authorized to carry out the corruption risk analysis in the Ministry of the Interior, conduct the integrity test and check the changes of the financial status of managers as well as for high-risk jobs in the Ministry as defined by the corruption risk analysis.

Enhancing cooperation with MoI organizational units, the prosecutor's office and other state authorities and civil society in combating corruption in the MoI

The Internal Control Sector and the Internal Audit Service have established clear mechanisms for mutual cooperation by determining the points of contact, as well as the methodology of cooperation and formation of working groups, as needed, in accordance with the Action Plan for the Implementation of the National Strategy for Combating Corruption.

Given the importance of independent institutions and civil society in monitoring the implementation of laws and control of the Ministry, the Sector continuously improves cooperation with the Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection, the Ombudsman and the Anti-Corruption Agency, with a view to acting, as efficiently as possible, upon their requests and cooperating in the field of prevention of corruption in the MoI.

Improving international operational cooperation with counterpart services in Europe and worldwide – The Internal Control Sector has signed four protocols / memoranda of understanding with counterpart services in the region, and has a need to sign protocols on cooperation with other counterpart services in Europe and worldwide, especially with neighboring countries for the purpose of providing assistance in the investigating corruption at border crossing points.