With financial investigations and Slovenian development aid, resolutely over crime in North Macedonia

With financial investigations and Slovenian development aid, resolutely over crime in North Macedonia

Klikni tukaj za branje prispevka v slovenskem jeziku. Slovenia on Apple iOS 11.2

As part of the Slovenian Development Cooperation Program, from 29 June to 2 July 2021, workshops were conducted in North Macedonia needed for the development of capacities in conducting financial investigations and for confiscating assets of crime and property of illegal origin from criminals.

The European Union pays particular attention to the prevention and fight against organized and serious crime by stepping up the activities of law enforcement agencies to confiscate proceeds of crime and property of illegal origin. This issue is important within the EU, as well as in the integration of the Republic of North Macedonia into the European Union. Financial investigations will be one of the key indicators that the EU will monitor when assessing the fulfilment of the criteria for EU membership.

Financial investigations are an extensive professional interdisciplinary field, where Slovenian development cooperation has been providing support to law enforcement agencies in North Macedonia for several years, and this time the work was carried out by exchanging expertise in analytics and standard operating procedures in conducting financial investigations. Thirty-two representatives of all relevant Macedonian institutions actively attended the workshops: the Ministry of Interior, State Prosecution, Financial Police, Customs Administration, Tax Administration and Financial Intelligence Office. On the Slovenian side as well, comprehensive cooperation was ensured – representatives of key Slovenian bodies for conducting financial investigations participated: the Ministry of the Interior and the Police, State Prosecution for Organised Crime and Corruption and Financial Administration.

The project is part of the programme activities of Slovenia’s Development Cooperation Programme financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia and carried out together with the State Prosecution, Financial Administration, Ministry of Interior and  Police of the Republic of Slovenia.

 

Further information:

Andreja Dolničar Jeraj

Programme Director

Centre for European Perspective


Slovenian development cooperation with North Macedonia in accelerating the confiscations of assets of illegal origin

Slovenian development cooperation with North Macedonia in accelerating the confiscations of assets of illegal origin

Klikni tukaj za branje prispevka v slovenskem jeziku. Slovenia on Apple iOS 11.2

“Crime does not pay off,” is a message that is being resolutely approached in North Macedonia and which the competent Macedonian investigation and prosecution authorities want to spread across the country with their work and results in the field of financial investigations and confiscation of assets of illicit origin act.

To this end, Slovenia continues to provide development assistance to North Macedonia in strengthening the capacities necessary for the successful implementation of these legal competencies. From 29 June to 2 July 2021, workshops will be held in North Macedonia in the field of analytical work and operational procedures in financial investigation, where colleagues will exchange Macedonian and Slovenian experiences.

The project is part of the programme activities of Slovenia’s Development Cooperation Programme financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia and carried out together with the State Prosecution, Financial Administration, Ministry of Interior and  Police of the Republic of Slovenia.

 

Further information:

Andreja Dolničar Jeraj

Programme Director

Centre for European Perspective


End of 2020 active for strengthening the capacities for financial investigations in North Macedonia

End of 2020 active for strengthening the capacities for financial investigations in North Macedonia

End of 2020 active to strengthen the capacities of the Republic of Northern Macedonia for financial investigations.

More about the project in Slovenian language.

 

For all those in charge of financial investigation in the Republic of North Macedonia, as well as for Slovenian representatives of the Police, the Financial Administration and the State Prosecution the end of 2020 was even more busy than usual.

On 29 December 2020, an online workshop was held with the purpose of presentation and discussion on a feasibility study to increase the availability of data, which are needed to conduct financial investigations. What is needed for an effective financial investigation of proceeds of crime and also the property which can be subject to extended confiscation for which the suspects of serious crime, punishable by imprisonment of a minimum of 4 years or set catalogueally cannot prove it was gained from legal income, that is to say, in a lawful way?

Study shows in detail investigators need to be supported with an appropriate legal basis that allows them access to data they need in the financial investigation. They must also have at their disposal up-to-date, complete and accurate data available from various data holders who exchange data with different efficiency within the established interoperability platform in North Macedonia. Furthermore, the obtained data are useful to us only if we know how to evaluate them correctly and determine proceeds of crime and volume of property, which could be of illegal origin. With the help of the study and the workshop, concrete possibilities for increasing the availability of data for financial investigations have been identified, which is an important step towards their realization.
The activities of the presentation workshop of the feasibility study on increasing the availability of data in the field of financial investigations successfully complete the two-year development assistance in the field of financial investigations in the period 2019-2020. At the same time, it opens a new two-year period of development aid 2021-2022, when Slovenian support to North Macedonia in the field of financial investigations continues.

 

The project is part of programme activities of Slovenia’s Development Cooperation Programme financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia and carried out together with the State Prosecution, Financial Administration, Ministry of Interior and  Police of the Republic of Slovenia.

 

Further information:

Andreja Dolničar Jeraj

Programme Director

CEP

North Macedonia strengthens capacities for financial investigations

North Macedonia strengthens capacities for financial investigations

North Macedonia strengthens capacities for financial investigations

More about the project in Slovenian language.

Slovenian development aid to the Republic of North Macedonia is being successfully continued, with adjustments for following measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. A workshop for rule of law agencies on the financial investigation was held in North Macedonia from 23 to 27 November 2020. A few Slovenian and Macedonian representatives also participated remotely.

At the workshop, participants, with a practical approach and through case studies, focused on the area of data needed to conduct financial investigations. The workshop ended on 28 November 2020, with a meeting of the heads of the bodies responsible for financial investigations. A feasibility study on improvements in data needed for financial investigations in North Macedonia is also under preparation.

 

The project is part of programme activities of Slovenia’s Development Cooperation Programme financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia and carried out together with the State Prosecution, Financial Administration, Ministry of Interior and  Police of the Republic of Slovenia.

 

Further information:

Andreja Dolničar Jeraj

Programme Director

CEP

Slovenia’s development assistance to North Macedonia in joining the EU continues

Slovenia’s development assistance to North Macedonia in joining the EU continues

Slovenia’s development assistance to North Macedonia in joining the EU continues

More about the project in Slovenian language.

Slovenia continues to provide development assistance to North Macedonia, aimed at strengthening the capacity of law enforcement institutions, in achieving the European standards expected for accession to the European Union within the negotiation chapter 24: Justice, Freedom and Security.

This chapter, in addition to the chapter on justice and fundamental rights, is a starting point for further progress towards full EU membership. The European Union has placed chapters on justice and fundamental rights, as well as justice, freedom and security, at the heart of the negotiation process, as these are the issues and areas that are most important to citizens. The process of harmonization and application of regulations in these two chapters is monitored throughout the negotiation process and negotiations in the other chapters can be stopped if the country has not made satisfactory progress in these two chapters.

A workshop will be held in North Macedonia from 23 to 26 November 2020, the purpose of which is to strengthen the capacity of North Macedonia in the field of financial investigations and the successful seizure of assets of crime and property of illegal origin.

 

The project is part of programme activities of Slovenia’s Development Cooperation Programme financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia and carried out together with the State Prosecution, Financial Administration, Ministry of Interior and  Police of the Republic of Slovenia.

 

Further information:

Andreja Dolničar Jeraj

Programme Director

CEP

CEP with 7 new development project in the Western Balkans

CEP with 7 new development project in the Western Balkans

CEP and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia signed a two-year contract in the framework of Slovenia’s development cooperation for seven new projects that account for 430.400 EUR. Up until today, CEP successfully conducted over 100 development projects in the Western Balkans region.

The projects in 2017 and 2018:

Empowering Kosovo and BiH’s Young Entrepreneurs

The two projects show how Slovenia supports young entrepreneurs and start-ups and empowers young people from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo to cooperate among each other. By gaining such knowledge, young people will be able to trigger changes that are crucial for better use of the potential of their good ideas and knowledge – on the local, entity and national level. Entrepreneurial mindset and innovative thinking are core to the healthy economic growth, which ensures wellbeing and development for the population. In the framework of the two projects, 20 people from BiH and 20 people from Kosovo will get a chance to participate at the leading regional start-up conference, where they will meet investors, big corporations, listen to the most experienced start-up teams on the international scene and network with the young entrepreneurs with a similar mindset. Youngsters with the best ideas will be able to develop their entrepreneurial ideas and attract the attention of potential investors.

Assistance to Montenegro on EU Accession
The project aims to directly help the working groups from Montenegro in the EU accession negotiations and the relevant state institutions that contribute to the process. Slovenian experts will offer consulting in the framework of the opened negotiation chapters. The dynamics and content of the project will follow the dynamics of the negotiations of Montenegro and their preparation of negotiating strategies, opening and closing of the chapters and other conditions that Montenegro needs to fulfill before its accession to the EU.

Support to Albanian Local Governments on the Preparation of EU/International Projects
The project is focused on the transfer of good practices from Slovenia in the field of strategic programming on the national level and implementation of the projects on the local level. It is based on a number of workshops, through which Slovenian experts offer training in project management to the representatives of Albanian municipalities, regional development agencies and representatives of youth and other non-governmental organizations. They share their experiences when it comes to the implementation of the internationally (with a special emphasis on the EU) supported and financed projects on the regional and local level. At the end of the trainings, participants prepare their own draft application with an authentic project idea.

Support to Macedonia in the EU Accession in Chapter 24 – Financial Investigations
With the project, CEP continues to support Macedonia to strengthen their capacities in fight against organised and serious crime and corruption. Since financial gains are both the pre-condition and the main incentive for organised crime, effective implementation of financial investigations and freezing and confiscation of assets in the framework of the Chapter 24 represent the most successful type of measures in fight against organised and serious crime and corruption. The project includes three workshops, individual consultations and development of a study curriculum with selected cases from Slovenia. The project is conducted in cooperation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs/Police, Specialised State Prosecutor’s Office and Financial Administration of the Republic of Slovenia.

Capacity Building on Illegal Migration Information Exchange (Serbia)
In 2018, Serbia will receive assistance in order to improve the information exchange system in the field of illegal migrations. With increased migrations, the trafficking in human beings represents the most profitable business of the criminal organizations. The fight against such activities became the priority of all the EU states, and also Serbia, being part of the accession process. In the framework of the project we will exchange experiences and conduct an analysis of the gaps in the current cooperation and information exchange. The workshop that will follow will help develop a communication strategy proposal with practical directions for a more efficient system of operational information flow and effective response to the illegal migrations on the field.

Support to the Development of Efficient Use of Resources Policies (Montenegro)
The focal topic is development and implementation of environmentally responsible policies that support sustainable development and efficient use of natural resources. The objective of the project in 2018 is to assist the adoption of economic solutions that protect the natural resources, for instance the new development paradigm of circular economy that can prevent the negative trend of exploitation of the non-renewable sources and excessive pollution while boosting economy. The public sector has to be a role model that emits an important signal to the Montenegrin market, striving an increase of the supplies of environmentally friendly products and services. During the workshop, the role of the green public procurement and the circular and low-carbon economy will be presented as well.