Judicial Corruption

The index reflects expert assessments of how often individuals or businesses make informal or undocumented payments to obtain favourable judicial decisions or expedite proceedings.

Scale: Higher scores indicate less corruption.

Direction of Change

JUDICIAL CORRUPTION NEVER EMERGED FROM THE NEGATIVE VALUE

The data show that judicial corruption in Bosnia and Herzegovina worsened over the observed period, as reflected in declining scores. From 1995, values remained largely unchanged before rising in the mid-2000s, indicating a brief improvement. Throughout the late 2000s and early 2010s, scores remained at a steady high level with limited fluctuation. After 2015, however, the index began to fall, and this decline accelerated sharply toward the end of the decade, plummeting to its lowest point in 2019. Although scores recover slightly after this episode, the 2020–2024 values remain well below their earlier levels, confirming a clear and sustained deterioration in judicial integrity compared with the late 1990s.

Global Rank

Compared with all geographic entities listed in the Index

Note: Population-weighted averages for Europe and the world.

Regional Rank

Compared with six former Yugoslav countries and Albania

Note: In 1995, Montenegro, Serbia, and Kosovo were part of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

1995 (highest → lowest): Serbia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Croatia, Slovenia.

2024 (highest → lowest): Serbia, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, Croatia, Slovenia.

Conclusion

Judicial corruption in Bosnia and Herzegovina has steadily deepened since 1995, with only a brief mid-2000s improvement, followed by a marked post-2015 deterioration that leaves recent levels far worse than those of 1995.

Source: V-Dem (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.