ORGANIZED CRIME AND CORRUPTION AS SECURITY THREATS OF CITIZENS

Abstract

Organized crime and corruption are complex phenomena. As sociopathological phenomena, they are in
symbiosis. Being in symbiosis, they create a corrupt society that the state needs to overcome in order to be a place
for safe life of citizens.
There are numerous definitions of these socio-pathological phenomena, and especially of organized crime, which is
always linked to corruption.
The introductory part of the paper reviews the definitions of the term organized crime: legal, official and theoretical,
as well as definitions of corruption. In relation to the legal definitions, it is characteristic that the criminal laws of
many countries do not provide a single definition of these socio-pathological phenomena, but rather define certain
criminal legal institutions, such as co-execution or legal descriptions of certain crimes (criminal association,
accepting bribes, giving bribes, illegal mediation etc.).
The emergent forms of organized crime and corruption in paper are analyzed from the aspect of the way of
organization of the perpetrators of criminal activities and from the aspect of the type and content of those activities,
with special reference to corruption in the government bodies with which organized crime works in a coupling.
Despite the fact that it is in symbiosis with organized crime and, as a set of criminal activities, in a coupling with it,
special attention in the paper is paid to corruption. It is present in all countries with privately owned economic
systems. It is especially present in those countries in which the democratic control and protection functions and
institutions of society are not sufficiently developed, first of all, due to the short period of construction and
development of democratic social relations. Among these countries is the Republic of North Macedonia.
Finally, a review is given on the implications of organized crime on the safety of citizens and the quality of their
personal and common life.
In the concluding presentations, the measures that should be taken by the social community for the prevention of
these socio-pathological phenomena are presented: educational, legal, organizational and other measures.
The fight against organized crime and corruption should be a conditio sine qua non for building a stable and
democratic society in the Republic of North Macedonia and for its membership in the European Union.