The fight against corruption and organised crime in the Western Balkans hinges on the ability to trace and recover illicit assets. Financial investigations serve an integral role in this process, providing the tools needed to uncover the financial aspects of criminal activities. The closing event of the six-year project, “Combating Corruption and Organized Crime in the Western Balkans through Strengthening Regional Cooperation in Asset Recovery”, provided a specialised training programme on financial investigations for prosecutors from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia.
“Organised crime knows no borders, and the judiciary must remain agile in combating their efforts. Much of the criminal profit is quickly moved across borders as criminals attempt to hide their profits, often using sophisticated cross-border schemes. That is why regional cooperation between jurisdictions is crucial. Prosecutors and investigators must proactively seek cooperation and share information, while judges must also share best practices and standards to ensure justice is truly served”, said Nevena Kostić, project manager of the AIRE Centre.
Effective financial investigations can lead to the freezing, seizure, and confiscation of assets acquired through illegal means, thereby dismantling criminal enterprises and deterring future offences. Prosecutors had the opportunity to discuss these strategies and share best practices and practical tools with the project’s national coordinators, including Eldan Mujanović from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ledina Mandia from Albania, Ganimete Ismajli from Kosovo, Miloš Šoškić from Montenegro, and Radmila Dragičević Dičić from Serbia.
“In the Western Balkans, substantial progress has been made in legislating for asset recovery. However, the application of these laws, particularly extended confiscation provisions, remains challenging. Investigators, prosecutors, and judges require advanced financial investigation skills to link assets to their owners, demonstrate disproportionate wealth, and satisfy legal standards for asset recovery”, explained Kostić.
The training programme, which combined four online sessions with a final in-person event, focused on practical and theoretical aspects of financial investigation. It featured expert-led discussions on the application of special investigative measures in financial investigations of corruption and organised crime, along with realistic case studies that enabled prosecutors to work in groups on scenarios involving organised crime, corruption, and cryptocurrency-related financial crimes. These exercises provided participants with both theoretical knowledge and hands-on learning.
Lasting legacy of the project
Six years ago, the AIRE Centre Western Balkans Programme and Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative, supported by the UK government, joined forces to enhance regional cooperation in asset recovery and strengthen the capacities of legal professionals across the Western Balkans
The project brought together over 500 judges, prosecutors, investigators, academics, legislators, journalists, students, legal experts, and decision-makers involved in the field of asset recovery from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia. The scope of the project also extended beyond the region, involving professionals from Europe and beyond. These efforts led to the establishment of the Asset Recovery Platform, a tool designed for practitioners, providing access to resources, news, and updates on the latest developments relevant to the region.
This project has contributed to identifying areas of strength and weakness in all of the jurisdictions involved. Effective implementation of the legislation is impossible without sharing knowledge and experiences, which is why as a part of this project expert tools such as handbooks, comparative analysis, and reports were made available to legal practitioners. Additionally, the project supported a series of practical training sessions in areas where increased capacity was needed, for participants from prosecutors’ offices, courts, judicial training centres, law enforcement agencies, and asset management agencies throughout the Western Balkans. Most importantly, this project has established the foundations for a regional approach to statistical collection and analysis and has contributed to the establishment of asset recovery as a region-wide policy objective.
“As the project expands into the different rule of law areas, its impact and legacy endure. The training programmes, resources, and collaborations developed over the past six years will continue to support the fight against corruption and organised crime in the region. The AIRE Centre and its partners remain committed to promoting the rule of law and ensuring that the progress made is sustained and built upon in the future”, said Kostić.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all participants, trainers, partners, and supporters who have contributed to the success of this project, integral for the lasting impact on the fight against corruption and organised crime in the Western Balkans.
