Kliknite tukaj za branje prispevka v slovenskem jeziku.
Slovenian development assistance to North Macedonia under Chapter 24 in the area of financial investigations continues in the programming period 2023-2024. This is a third two-year project aimed at strengthening the capacity of Macedonian law enforcement and prosecution authorities to carry out financial investigations in line with EU criteria and standards, with the aim of confiscating proceeds of crime and assets that cannot be proven to have been acquired through legitimate means.
The start of North Macedonia’s accession negotiations for EU membership and the European Commission’s recommendations that more needs to be done in the coming period to improve the effectiveness of law enforcement in fighting financial crime provide further motivation for the Macedonian law enforcement and prosecution authorities to strengthen their capacities with the aim of improving results in the field of financial investigations.
The institutions responsible for financial investigations in North Macedonia rely on the expertise of the Republic of Slovenia to develop their capacity in the field of financial investigations. In the past period, an excellent partnership and trust have been established in which Macedonian institutions have adopted the Common Guidelines for Financial Investigations on the basis of Slovenian experience and, under the mentorship of Slovenian experts devoted themselves to ensuring the conditions for their implementation.
Thus, between 8 and 10 May 2023, a kick-off meeting and first consultations with representatives of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Financial Police, the Customs Administration and the Ministry of Interior took place in Skopje and Gevgelija, North Macedonia, within the framework of the project “Chapter 24 Assistance – Financial Investigations”. Slovenian expert delegation led by the programme director conducted its expert visit with the involvement of the state prosecutor of the Specialised prosecution office and an expert in the valuation and calculation of assets of illicit origin.
Activities are funded by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia through its International Development Cooperation Programme and implemented in cooperation with the State Prosecution, Financial Administration, Ministry of the Interior, and the Police of the Republic of Slovenia.
Further information:
Andreja Dolničar Jeraj
Programme Director
Centre for European Perspective