Two years since death of Verica Barać

Two years since death of Verica Barać

BELGRADE -- Wedensday marks two years since the death of Verica Barać, president of the Serbian government's Anti-Corruption Council.

She was appointed to that office in May 2003. The Council was formed in December 2001, and by March 2012 it had sent to the government more than 70 reports, initiatives, analyses, and proposals.

Barać was born in Čačak in 1955 and graduated from the Faculty of Law of the University of Belgrade. Afterwards, she worked for PKB Beograd and the municipal administration of Čačak, and from 1997 until 2001 as public attorney for the municipality.

She was one of the leaders of the Civil Parliament of Čačak during the NATO bombing in 1999.

She was also among the founders of the Civil Parliament of Serbia in 2000 and chaired the organization until 2003.

Barać, who exhibited exceptional perseverance and persistence in the fight against corruption, was awarded posthumously on Statehood Day in 2014 with the Gold Medal of Merit for outstanding merit in the fight against corruption and the promotion of human rights principles and the rule of law.

Late last year, 24 investigations of controversial privatizations were completed that Barać and the Anti-Corruption suggested ten years earlier.

Barać, who died after a long and serious illness, also received a number of other professional recognitions and awards, and was the author of a book published by the Civil Parliament of Serbia, and of three collections of reports and initiatives of the Council.