CORRUPTION AS AN OBSTACLE TO EUROPEAN INTEGRATIONS

Corruption is not a phenomenon of recent times. It derives from the Latin word “corruptus“, meaning deterioration, blackmail, depravity, bribery, etc. The ancient Greeks and Romans faced this phenomenon and enacted rules aimed at its prevention and suppression. The practice of bribery is as old as the state itself. In the 18th century England, for example, the notion of corruption was associated not only with corrupt government but also with giving bribes. Despite numerous efforts of the international community to put an end to this problem, the fact is that many countries have not ratified the proposed documents of this type yet. In terms of criminal law, corruption-related offences in Serbia today include primarily crimes against official duties, crimes against the economy, and crimes against freedom and civil rights. In this paper, the authors examine some issues related to corruption in light of its harmful effects on the European Integration process