On 12 May, the Croatian Ministry of Justice, Public Administration and Digital Transformation organised a high-level conference titled “The OECD Anti-Bribery Convention in Practice: Corporate Governance, Law Enforcement and Market Trust in Croatia,” bringing together key stakeholders from the public and private sectors to examine the practical application of the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention in the Croatian context.
The conference brought together senior representatives of Croatia’s key anti-corruption and regulatory bodies, corporate compliance officers, and academic experts, alongside international guests including representatives of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the US Department of Justice (DOJ). Minister of Justice, Public Administration and Digital Transformation Damir Habijan delivered opening remarks. Discussions spanned OECD standards and corporate governance, bribery risks in cross-border business, and enforcement perspectives under the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).
Our colleagues from Ilej & Partners in cooperation with Karanovic & Partners, Partner Dora Horvat and Senior Associate Boris Dvoršćak, participated as panellists in the session titled “Internal Investigations, Corporate Decision-Making and Communication with Competent Authorities,” moderated by Ameet Kabrawala, Resident Legal Adviser at the US Embassy in Croatia. Joining them on the panel were Mia Jajčinović, Legal Counsel for Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina at British American Tobacco, and Dijana Kesonja, Deputy Ombudsperson at the Croatian Ombudsperson’s Office.
The discussion addressed how companies respond when suspicion of irregularity arises, covering the assessment of allegations, organisation of internal investigations, preservation and review of evidence, whistleblowing channels, corrective measures, and the critical question of when and how companies should engage with regulatory authorities.
The conference underlines the growing importance of robust compliance frameworks and the role of legal advisers in supporting companies through complex regulatory and investigative processes.
The information in this document does not constitute legal advice on any particular matter and is provided for general informational purposes only.
