The anti-corruption programme "Communities with Integrity" was presented in Bitola, aimed at helping Macedonian municipalities establish strong systems and practices for integrity, while minimising the risks of corruption.

The programme is funded by the governments of Switzerland and Sweden and is implemented through the National Democratic Institute (NDI). Today's training was dedicated to the topic of "Conflict of Interest" and was intended for municipal administration employees, elected officials and appointed functionaries.

Bitola Mayor Toni Konjanovski welcomed the participants and emphasised that the programme is important for Bitola to remain highly ranked on the transparency index. Just a few weeks ago, Transparency International – Macedonia awarded high scores to the Municipality of Bitola within the same initiative.

An NDI representative and Adem Čučulj, President of the State Commission for Prevention of Corruption, also spoke at the training, informing participants about the prohibitions and restrictions for public sector employees regarding conflicts of interest.

The programme is also being implemented in several other municipalities in Macedonia, with the goal of systematically combating corruption at the local level and increasing citizens' trust in public institutions.