1. 3. 2019 | Macedonia - Finance, PR, Slovenian Development Assistance
In the period 2019-2020 we continue the work which started in the last two years with Slovenian development support in the area of capacity building of North Macedonia for the implementation of financial investigations and confiscation of proceeds of crime and property of illegal origin.
In addition to fulfilling criteria for the EU membership, this is an important area for prevention of organised crime and functioning of role of law which constitute favorable business environment for economic development and foreign investments. With confiscations we prevent perpetrators of criminal offences to continue its criminal activities and offer a clear message that crime does not pay off.
Talks with North Macedonia stakeholders were conducted in Skopje between 25 and 27 February 2019 about details of activities to be implemented in the period 2019-2020 for improvements of the system of financial investigations.
The project is part of the program activities carried out in cooperation with the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Slovenia / Police of the Republic of Slovenia and is financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia from the funds for international development cooperation.
Click here to read more about the project in Slovenian language. 
15. 10. 2018 | Macedonia - Finance, PR, Slovenian Development Assistance
Suggestions on how to make advancements in financial investigations as well as seizures of proceeds of criminal offences and property of illegal origin were identified and discussed within the workshop and presentations to the relevant heads of Macedonian institutions, which were taking place from 4 to 5 October 2018 in Skopje.
Among jointly defined suggestions, for which Macedonia expressed expectations for Slovenia to continue its development support, were:
- To further develop capacities and determine the discrepancies between real income and actual spending of offenders;
- to get acquainted with practices and systems to initiate parallel financial investigations together with the crime investigations;
- to obtain assistance on how to plan and determine outcome indicators such as numbers of initiated financial investigations and to define what resources are needed to achieve planned results;
- to get support to familiarise the personnel and maximise their contribution to the strategic goals;
- and to analyse and learn from cases and court rulings to effectively built prosecution cases, which will be result in the seizure of proceeds of crime as well as property of illegal origin.
The need to increase awareness and importance of supporting initiatives to conduct financial investigations and implementation of current Macedonian legislation to initiate the procedures regarding extended confiscation, was identified. In addition, the necessity to continue with strengthening inter-sectoral cooperation was emphasized.
The fact that heads of nearly all institutions in Republic of Macedonia, who are involved in financial investigations or who contribute to financial investigations with their data, responded and participated in the workshop gives a positive impetus for further development of the development cooperation in the area.
The joint message of the Ministry of Interior, Public Prosecutor’s Office, Financial Police Administration, Public Revenue Office, Customs Administration, Financial Intelligence Office, Central Register, Health Insurance Fund, Civilian Aviation Agency and Central Securities Depository was they want to continue to work with Slovenia on the development of the Macedonian system of financial investigations and seizures of property with illegal origin since “such crimes do not and should not pay off”.
This two-year project (2017-2018) is part of program activities implemented in the cooperation with the State Prosecution Office for Organized Crime and Corruption and Ministry of Interior/ Police of the Republic of Slovenia and financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia in the framework of Slovenia’s Development Cooperation.
3. 10. 2018 | Macedonia - corruption, Macedonia - Finance, PR, Slovenian Development Assistance
In the period 2017-2018, in the framework of the development assistance Slovenia provides support to the Republic of Macedonia in strengthening of capacities for financial investigations and seizure of assets with illegal origin which is an effective tool to prevent and reduce organised crime and corruption. For this purpose, a workshop for development of suggestions which will be useful with the implementation of changes will be held from 4 to 5 October 2018 in Skopje. A presentation with discussions will also follow on 5 October 2018 with Heads of Macedonian state bodies which are relevant for the implementation of financial investigations and with the Ministry of Interior of Republic of Macedonia as a lead on Macedonian side.
Project is part of CEP’s program activities implemented in the cooperation with the State Prosecution Office for Organised Crime and Corruption and Ministry of Interior/ Police of the Republic of Slovenia and financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia in the framework of Slovenia’s Development Cooperation.
24. 5. 2018 | Macedonia - corruption, Macedonia - Finance, PR, Slovenian Development Assistance
At the margins of high-level inter-sectorial workshop dedicated to financial investigations, on 18 May 2018 the Minister of Interior of the Republic of Macedonia Oliver Spasovski received the following Slovenian delegation: Mr Darko Majhenič, the Director of National Bureau of Investigation, Mr Harij Furlan, Head of the Group of state prosecutors for the prosecution of organized crime at the Office of the State Prosecutor General of the Republic of Slovenia, and Ms Andreja Dolničar Jeraj, Programme Director at the Centre for European Perspective who lead the delegation. The Head of Sector for IPA and Community Programmes Mr Sasko Kocev and Advisor to the Minister Mr Veton Kranlievski also joined the meeting.
They discussed outcomes of the workshop and experiences of Slovenia with changes made to the legislation and implementation of financial investigations. Since the Ministry of Interior leads the project on Macedonian side, it was suggested Minister Spasovski would host autumn inter-sectorial meeting and consider future activities for cooperation in the next programming period.
Project is part of CEP’s program activities financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia in the framework of Slovenia’s Development Cooperation.
21. 5. 2018 | Macedonia - corruption, Macedonia - Finance, PR
“Teamwork in financial investigations and upgraded possibilities to seize property and assets of criminals is improving effectiveness of law enforcement in fight against organised and other crime,” was an emphasis of participants of high-level inter-sectorial workshop which was successfully implemented from 14 to 18 May 2018 in the Republic of Macedonia in the framework of the development assistance of the Republic of Slovenia to the Republic of Macedonia. The participation involved Public Prosecution, Financial Police Administration, Financial Intelligence Office, Public Revenue Office, Customs Administration and the Ministry of Interior, the lead partner on Macedonian side. The programme of the workshop was very concrete and directed at improved inter-sectorial cooperation by discussing various cases and approaches to the subject area. It was noted by Slovenian and well as Macedonian representatives, it was valuable to have such opportunity to exchange experiences with each other.
The workshop is part of a two-year project “Support to Macedonia in accession to the EU in the Chapter 24 – financial investigations” (2017 – 2018) as part of the program activities implemented in the cooperation with the State Prosecution Office for Organised Crime and Corruption and Ministry of Interior/ Police of the Republic of Slovenia and financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia in the framework of Slovenia’s Development Cooperation.
Project is part of CEP’s program activities financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia in the framework of Slovenia’s Development Cooperation.
9. 5. 2018 | Macedonia - corruption, Macedonia - Finance, PR
After we successfully involved the State Prosecutor General of the Republic of Macedonia in Slovenia’s Development Cooperation with the Republic of Macedonia, an intersectoral workshop will take place in Bitola on 15 – 17 May 2018. The aim of the workshop is to improve interinstitutional cooperation in the implementation of financial investigations, directed at investigation, confiscation and seizure of the proceeds from crime and property of illegal origin.
The area of financial investigations is of utmost importance in the fight against organized crime and corruption since the seizures of the proceeds from crime and property of illegal origin prevent the criminal organizations from access to finances for their existence and operations. The workshop is part of a two-year project “Support to Macedonia in accession to the EU in the Chapter 24 – financial investigations” (2017 – 2018).
Project is part of CEP’s program activities financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia in the framework of Slovenia’s Development Cooperation.
