20.06.2025.
The meeting provided an opportunity to exchange views on current topics and to discuss ways to improve further cooperation between the Agency and the Ministry of Culture. Minister Selaković and Director Damnjanović reaffirmed their commitment and efforts to enhance cooperation through joint initiatives, thereby strengthening the institutional connection between the Agency and the Ministry. They expressed a clear dedication to intensifying planned activities in the field of corruption prevention.
During the conversation, Director Damnjanović placed special emphasis on the importance of implementing anti-corruption regulations within the Ministry and cultural institutions, where a number of public officials perform their duties and are thus subject to obligations defined by the Law on the Prevention of Corruption. The Agency's specific competencies in this regard include preventing conflicts of interest, the obligation to submit asset and income reports, the development and implementation of integrity plans, training on ethics and integrity, as well as issues related to lobbying, in accordance with the Law on Lobbying.
Emphasizing the importance of the synergy between culture and education as a tool in the fight against corruption, the Director also informed the Minister about the Agency’s ongoing work on developing a Manual for Raising Anti-Corruption Awareness in Educational Institutions. This manual aims to explain the concept of corruption to young people through the education system, presenting it as a social phenomenon and introducing instruments for its prevention and suppression.
"Considering the exceptional importance of culture for the state and the nation, I am convinced that cooperation between the Agency and the Ministry will contribute to strengthening our preventive role in the fight against corruption. We will therefore support the establishment of higher standards of transparency and accountability in this area," emphasized Damnjanović.
Minister Selaković also remarked that culture is not only a space for creativity, but also a foundation of social responsibility.
"That is precisely why the cooperation between the Ministry of Culture and the Agency for Prevention of Corruption is crucial for strengthening institutional integrity. Together, we can set higher standards of transparency in all cultural institutions and build an environment in which citizens’ trust becomes an integral part of cultural policy," said the Minister.
