The CEI took part in the 25th Anniversary of the Regional Anti-corruption Initiative (RAI), celebrated in Sarajevo on 6–7 November 2025. The milestone event highlighted a quarter-century of joint efforts to promote integrity, transparency, and good governance across South-East Europe, a region where cooperation and institutional trust remain crucial for sustainable development.
The CEI was represented by Deputy Secretary General Ivana Pejović, who joined government officials, international organisations, civil society representatives, and leading experts in discussions focused on strengthening anti-corruption frameworks and advancing regional collaboration.
Established in 2000, RAI has played a central role in supporting national authorities and regional networks working to prevent corruption and reinforce accountability. Over the years, the CEI and RAI have developed a strong partnership grounded in shared values and complementary action, particularly in supporting capacity building, cross-border cooperation, and peer-to-peer exchange. Earlier this year, the two organisations renewed their cooperation through the signing of a new Memorandum of Understanding, further reinforcing their joint commitment.
Reflecting on the occasion, DSG Pejović stressed the importance of keeping anti-corruption efforts high on the regional political agenda:
“At the heart of our work lies a shared vision: to support our member states in building resilient, transparent and accountable institutions. Our cooperation with RAI has been longstanding and based on trust — and we are committed to continuing this effort, translating our common goals into concrete results for the citizens of our region.” Ivana Pejović, Deputy Secretary General of the CEI
Looking ahead, the CEI confirmed that it will continue supporting joint activities with RAI, including a new CEI Cooperation Fund initiative, i.e. a workshop titled “Research and Presentation on the Legal, Institutional, and Implementation Framework for Enabling Environment for Anti-Corruption in SEE Countries”. The project will promote transparency, improve prevention and enforcement mechanisms, support legal alignment with EU standards, and enhance regional cooperation.