Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative

Tirana, Albania: Second round 3-days training on International Cooperation
2019-10-15 08:00 - 2019-10-17 17:00 UTC
The Second Round of 3-days Regional Training on Mutual Legal Assistance and Asset Recovery, organized by the Advice on Individual Rights in Europe (AIRE) Centre and Regional Anti-corruption Initiative (RAI) Secretariat is a continuation of the Regional Mutual Legal Assistance and Asset Recovery Training held on 11-13 June 2019 in Skopje, Macedonia. The training has been opened by Ms. Fjoralba Caka – deputy Minister of Justice of Albania.
Prosecutors and experts from Ministries of Justice selected by the judicial training institutes and the respective Ministries from Albania, Bosna and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo*, Montenegro, Moldova, North Macedonia and Serbia took part in the training. The training aimed to enhance the abilities of the participants, to provide and request successful international cooperation in transnational crime cases, in particular relating to asset tracing, freezing and confiscation.
The training was organized within the regional project “Strengthening Anti-Corruption in South East Europe through Improving Asset Seizure Measures” funded by the UK Government and supported by Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

Belgrade, Serbia: Second round of 2-days training on effective asset recovery
2019-11-28 08:00 - 2019-11-29 17:00 UTC
AIRE Centre (Advice on Individual Rights in Europe) and RAI Secretariat partnered up to implement a 2-year Regional Project on asset recovery titled “Strengthening anti-corruption in the South East Europe through improving asset seizure measures” (the Regional Anti-corruption Project). The announced Training is a continuation of the Training on Effective Asset Recovery: Legal Standards and Good Practices held on 14 – 15 May, 2019 in Becici, Montenegro.

The training is the second in the series of three sessions on the topic of effective asset recovery organized within the framework of the two-years Regional Anti-corruption Project. It further builds up expertise among prosecutors and judges from South East Europe in the field of asset recovery and facilitates the exchange of good practices.

The training focused on international and European legal standards and the European Court of Human Rights case-law in the field of asset recovery in order to foster the implementation of the asset recovery measures in practice. Prominent UK and international experts, as well as experts from the region shared their experience with prosecutors, judges and practitioners, specialized in asset recovery from Albania, Bulgaria, Bosna and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo*, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia.
The training`s aim was to build national training resources related to good practices in conducting financial investigations and effective asset freezing and seizure, European and UN standards, ECHR implementation, and facilitate the exchange of knowledge amongst peers, across the Western Balkan region.
The sessions focused on specific issues which are of concern to the whole region (such as more effective use of extended confiscation, financial investigations, evidentiary threshold for asset recovery etc.).

International Conference on ‘Counter Corruption Best Practices – Increased Effectiveness through Interagency and Multi-Sectoral Approaches’ – March 07-10, 2011 – Zagreb, Croatia
2020-03-07 08:00 - 2020-03-10 17:00 UTC
The International Conference on ”Counter Corruption Best Practices – Increased Effectiveness through Interagency and Multi-Sectoral Approaches” took place on March 07-10, 2011, in Zagreb, Croatia. The event was co-organized by the United States Department of State Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs and the George Marshall European Center for Security Studies in cooperation with the United States Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.
The workshop provided ground to participants to present different governmental approach and activities towards curbing corruption at all levels. Among the main Conference goals were to increase awareness of US and European counter corruption programs, current best practices and initiatives in Europe, including at the sub-regional level, within an audience of both US and European governmental officials engaged in fighting corruption work. The focus was put on the support for counter corruption initiatives through strengthening the links among US missions in Europe and between US missions and local institutions involved in anti-corruption efforts. RAI Secretariat was represented by Mr. Stanislav Aleksandrov – Anti-Corruption Expert, who was speaker in the panel dedicated to ”Leveraging Partners’ Resources – Contributions of other Organizations”.

RAI School for Junior Anti-Corruption Practitioners in the SEE
2020-10-05 08:00 - 2020-10-15 17:00 UTC
RAI in cooperation with the Judicial Academy of Croatia and the UNODC Global Judicial Integrity Group and with the support of the Central European Initiative (CEI) organized the 15th Edition of the School for young anti-corruption practitioners from Southeast Europe (online) as a series of 4 webinars under the general topic: “Promoting Integrity in Processing Corruption Cases” in the period of 5-15 October 2020 as interactive lectures from the distinguished experts in specific areas such as corruption risk assessment, corruption proofing of legislation, integrity and conflict of interest, whistleblowing, asset declarations and on investigation, prosecution and adjudication of the corruption cases and asset recovery. In parallel, during the tour-de-table participants shared experiences and best practices in the field of integrity risks and how to improve the professional integrity.
Target participants were young representatives from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Georgia, Kosovo*, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, and Serbia (maximum of three representatives from each jurisdiction. Suggested profiles: two representatives from the national judiciary (one judge, one prosecutor) and one participant from anti-corruption bodies and were selected through RAI Steering Group members.
The webinars were as follows:
Webinar One: Corruption Preventive Tools/Asset Disclosure- October 5, 2020, Monday, 13-16h (CEST)
Webinar Two: Integrity and Conflict of Interest/Whistleblowing Protection in the SEE region and other comparative experiences, October 8, 2020, Thursday, 13-16h (CEST)
Webinar Three: Processing Corruption Cases/Asset recovery, October 12, 2020, Monday, 13-16h (CEST)
Webinar Four: Disclosure of conflict of interest/Financial disclosure for judges and prosecutors-October, 15, 2020, Thursday, 13-17h (CEST)
For more details, please see the report from RAI’s first virtual school here.
RAI 2020 School concept and the agenda is available here.
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*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244(1999) and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.

Meeting of the SEE Coalition on Whistleblower Protection
2020-11-30 08:00 - 17:00 UTC
The Southeast Europe Coalition on Whistleblower Protection (hereinafter: the Coalition) held its first video Annual Meeting on 30 November 2020, with the support of the Regional Anti-corruption Initiative Secretariat (RAI Secretariat), provided under its EU funded project ‘Breaking the Silence: Enhancing whistleblowing policies and culture in Western Balkans and Moldova’ (hereinafter: the Project). The meeting was hosted by one of the members of the Coalition, the Center for the Study of Democracy and Governance from Albania.
At the meeting, RAI Secretariat presented activities and results of the Project to date, which included a presentation of findings and recommendations of the gap analysis of the whistleblowing legislative frameworks in the project’s beneficiary jurisdictions in line with the EU Directive on the protection of persons who report breaches of [European] Union law” (“EU whistleblowing rules”). In addition, the meeting provided a panel for the members of the Coalition to discuss the results of their recent efforts in whistleblowing campaigning for fighting corruption in the region.
By first thanking RAI for a continued support to the Coalition’s work, Mr. Arjan Dyrmishi, the Coordinator of the Coalition, who moderated the meeting, talked about the increased visibility of the Coalition, emphasizing the significant impact it provided in the adoption of new whistleblowing laws, improvements in legislative mechanisms in the protection of whistleblowers, and in investigations of whistleblowing cases.
The Head of RAI Secretariat, Mr. Vladan Joksimovic, welcomed the participants by emphasizing the continued commitment of RAI Secretariat to whistleblower protection, the collaboration with the Coalition and regional exchange of expertise and experiences in improving whistleblower protection in SEE.
The Project Manager, Ms. Elmerina Ahmetaj Hrelja, and Project Officer, Ms. Amra Softic, spoke about major goals and activities of the Project, as well as efforts to raise public awareness about whistleblowing as an anti-corruption tool. These included a Project infographic, project-branded protective masks, pilot survey on youth views and understanding about whistleblowing, which was first tested in Bosnia and Herzegovina, ending with the presentation of the video story Breaking the Silence – Youth Video featuring a fantastic group of young people from the SEE and their messages why young people, as creators of positive changes, should not keep silent when it comes to whistleblowing.
Mr. Mark Worth, RAI Secretariat Whistleblowing Expert led the panel discussion of members of the Coalition on challenges in whistleblower protection in SEE, and measures undertaken to address them. These measures included: the provision of alternate whistleblower disclosure channels (online, anonymous, and confidential), the provision of advice and support to whistleblowers via hot-lines, monitoring and reporting about challenges in the enforcement of whistleblower protection laws and advocacy for their improvement.
The meeting ended on a high note by Ms. Elmerina Ahmetaj Hrelja who emphasized the importance of continued collaboration between RAI Secretariat and the Coalition in order to address real needs in the field and achieve synergy of efforts – all for the benefit of SEE societies because protecting whistleblowers means protecting the public interest.
The support of the RAI Secretariat to the establishment and growth of the SEE Coalition on Whistleblower Protection created an additional impetus and turned the tide for whistleblowing in the SEE Region.
Family Photo from the South East Europe Coalition on Whistleblower Protection 2020 Annual Meeting held November 30, 2020

Online Presentation of the Report “Effective Implementation of Asset Recovery Measures in the Western Balkans: an overview of a regional monitoring methodology, key benchmarks and case studies of good practice”
2020-12-09 08:00 - 17:00 UTC
On the occasion of the Internal Anti-corruption Day, the Regional Anti-corruption Initiative (RAI) Secretariat and the Advice on Individual Rights in Europe (AIRE) Centre, with the support of the UK Government and Konrad Adenauer Foundation presented the report “Effective Implementation of Asset Recovery Measures in the Western Balkans: an overview of a regional monitoring methodology, key benchmarks and case studies of good practice”. The report in English and in the regional languages is available HERE.
The event was opened by Ms. Biljana Braitwaithe, Western Balkans Programme Director at the AIRE Centre, Mr. Vladan Joksimovic, Head of RAI Secretariat and H.E. Matthew Field, British Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In the role of the field expert, Professor Eldan Mujanovic of the University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Criminalistics presented the findings of the report. Ms. Radmila Dragicevic – Dicic, Judge of the Supreme Court of Cassation of Republic of Serbia presented a case study of good practice, providing a comment on the relevant legislation in Serbia in relation to the adjudication in cases involving asset seizure.

The First Alumni Meeting under the Regional Anti-Corruption Project
2020-12-15 08:00 - 17:00 UTC
Following the restriction policies and measures over the COVID-19 situation in Southeast Europe, the First Regional Alumni Meeting organized under the Regional Anti-Corruption Project was held online. Judges, prosecutors, and asset recovery practitioners from SEE who have participated and contributed to the project discussed the establishment of the Regional Alumni Network with the aim to foster and improve regional cooperation in asset recovery cases.
Participants have underscored the importance of the establishment of the Regional Network, with a special focus on making the resources developed in the course of the project broadly available to the asset recovery practitioners in the region. They have also recognised the value of broadening the membership of this network to include not only prosecutors and judges but also the law enforcement agencies and financial investigators.
The meeting was organised within the framework of the two-year regional project “Strengthening anti-corruption in the South East Europe through improving asset seizure measures” implemented by RAI Secretariat and AIRE Centre, with the financial support of the UK Government.

Kick-off Meeting of the new joint Regional Programme “Southeast Europe - Together Against Corruption” - SEE-TAC
2021-01-27 11:00 - 12:30 UTC
Sarajevo, Vienna, January 27, 2021 – With today’s kick-off event, the Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative (RAI) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) have officially launched the new anti-corruption programme in Southeast Europe (SEE), entitled Southeast Europe – Together Against Corruption (SEE-TAC). The Regional Programme is funded by Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC), represented by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA).
The event was attended by over 80 representatives of the public anti-corruption authorities, ministries, civil society organisations and the private sector representatives from the SEE region and beyond. Thirteen speakers from the implementing organisations, the donor and beneficiary institutions have reflected on the importance of the new Regional Programme which aims to strengthen the resilience of SEE societies to corruption.
This programme will focus on Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia, with participation of Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia. The three-year programme will operate with a total budget of 1,400,000 euros.
Michaela Flenner, Programme Manager of the Austrian Development Agency for the SEE Region said “ADA is happy to see that the idea of programmatic partnership between the RAI and the UNODC continues through the SEE-TAC Programme”.
Under the auspices of the SEE-TAC Programme, 25 public institutions, 40 business representatives and 175 civil society representatives, with the UNCAC Coalition and the WB6 Chamber Investment Forum as special partners, will be working together on the implementation of a wide range of activities.
Virginia de Abajo Marques, UNODC Anti-corruption Advisor underlined the essence of the SEE-TAC revolving around the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), the only legally binding universal anti-corruption instrument, and in particular its articles 12 and 13, which recognise the role of the private sector and civil society in combating corruption.
SEE-TAC, as a comprehensive cross-sectoral action which brings together practitioners and activists from the SEE in strengthening their capacity to fight and prevent corruption, was presented by Aneta Arnaudovska, RAI’ Senior Anti-corruption Advisor, Dejana Grbic-Velagic, RAI’s Chief Programme and Communications Officer and Viktorija Nesterovaite, UNODC Programme Officer.
The Programme pairs the operationalisation of the International Treaty on Exchange of Data for the Verification of Asset Declarations in and beyond the region with development of institutional capacities of the public bodies for implementation of the corruption-prevention mechanisms, with the focus on the most corruption-prone sectors.
The SEE-TAC Programme will follow an innovative framework to support beneficiaries in preventing corruption. More specifically, to achieve an effective implementation of UNCAC in SEE, the SEE-TAC programme will first build capacities of non-state actors alongside their governments on the Convention and, then, will support its implementation at grassroot, national and regional levels, as well as bring the voices from the region to the international UNCAC fora.
Furthermore, the innovative regional approach is reflected in reaching an agreement on the International Treaty on Exchange of Data for the Verification of Asset Declarations, during the preceding programme, also funded by ADA, and strongly supported by the Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs.
In relation to this Treaty, Biljana Ivanovska, President of the SCPC North Macedonia said: “We show our deepest support to the new SEE-TAC Programme, and we are especially looking forward to signing of the International Treaty on Exchange of Data for Verification of Asset Declarations. In addition, underlining SCPS’s commitment to sign the Treaty, Ms. Ivanovska encouraged other jurisdictions in the SEE, in addition to Montenegro and Serbia, to accede to the Treaty and to join North Macedonia in a united regional cooperation in achieving concrete results in the anti-corruption efforts.
Vladan Joksimovic, Head of the RAI Secretariat informed the participants from across the region that the signing of the International Treaty could take place in the second half of March in Belgrade, should the epidemiological circumstances permit for organisation of this important regional event.
The joint approach embodied in the SEE-TAC Programme will also be exercised through joint advocacy and awareness-raising initiatives spearheaded by CSOs in cooperation with the public and the private sector and numerous capacity-building occasions on UNCAC, its review mechanism, corruption-prevention mechanisms and other anti-corruption topics.
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* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.

Ms. Mirella Dummar-Frahi, Chief, Civil Society Unit, UNODC

Mr. Vladan Joksimovic, Head of RAI Secretariat

Ms. Ardita Seknaj, Secretary General, International Chamber of Commerce, Albania

Ms. Slagjana Taseva, Chair, Transparency International, North Macedonia

Ms. Biljana Ivanovska, President of the State Commission for the Prevention of Corruption, North Macedonia

Ms. Milica Popovic, Head of Section for Integrity Plans, Lobbying and Corruption Proofing Regulations – Agency for Prevention of Corruption, Montenegro

Mr. Vladica Babic, Assistant Director of the Agency for the Prevention and Coordination of the Fight against Corruption, BiH

Ms. Aneta Arnaudovska, Senior Anti-Corruption Advisor and Ms. Dejana Grbic-Velagic, Chief Programme and Communications Officer, RAI Secretariat

The Regional Multi-Beneficiary Training on Whistleblower Protection
2021-02-09 10:00 - 2021-02-11 16:00 UTC
The EU Whistleblowing Directive[1] was passed in December 2019 to provide and promote a safe and secure way for persons to speak up about wrongdoings in their work environment. It also provides a high level of protection to whistleblowers against retaliation, and requires national authorities to adequately inform citizens and train public officials on how to deal with whistleblowing.
Following the Gap Analysis of Whistleblower Protection Laws in SEE jurisdictions, which assesses the level of compliance of these laws with the EU Whistleblowing Directive, the RAI Secretariat delivered a two-day Annual Regional Multi-Beneficiary Training on Whistleblower Protection on February 9 and 11, 2021.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, this training was delivered on-line, through two webinars: 1. ‘Building Effective Whistleblower Protections for the Benefit of Citizens in line with the EU Whistleblowing Directive’ and 2. ‘Experiences of Public Institutions and Civil Society in Handling Whistleblower Reports: How to Enhance Mutual Cooperation and Coordination?’ taking place one day apart to provide participants (e.g. professionals from anti-corruption agencies and other oversight bodies) to attend both webinars with time for retrospection.
The training took place in a mixed environment of more than 50 participants representing ministries of justice, anti-corruption agencies or other whistleblowing enforcement bodies, representatives of EU delegations, and 22 representatives of 15 CSOs involved in whistleblowing support and advocacy from 10 SEE jurisdictions, including Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo*, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, and Serbia.
The comprehensive agenda of the training covered, among other topics, the purpose and overview of key requirements of the EU Whistleblowing Directive; the practices of the European Court of Human Rights on key concepts of the EU Whistleblowing Directive; free speech in the workplace; best approaches in protecting whistleblowers in practice; how good whistleblowing programs lead to successful protection of whistleblowers; the opportunities for collaboration between CSOs and public institutions in whistleblowing protection; the lifecycle of a whistleblower case, from disclosure and support to investigation and protection/corrective actions and other issues as a result of reflections and discussions on experiences of public institutions and civil society.
The training was delivered by international and regional experts on whistleblowing, Mr. Tom Devine, Mr. Mark Worth, Mr. Stephan Kohn, Mr. Mevludin Dzindo, Mr. Boris Vukasinovic, and Ms. Vanja Calovic Markovic, the RAI Secretariat project manager – anti-corruption expert, Ms. Elmerina Ahmetaj Hrelja, and senior anti-corruption advisor Ms. Aneta Arnaudovska, combined with group discussions and recommendations.
The Head of the RAI Secretariat, Mr. Vladan Joksimovic, who provided the opening remarks, stressed the assistance of the RAI Secretariat in the improvements to whistleblowing legislative framework in SEE in line with the EU Whistleblowing Directive. „Today’s training will among other things be an opportunity to hear about key findings and recommendations of the RAI assessment of the compliance of whistleblower protection laws in SEE with the EU Whistleblowing Directive (Gap Analysis), and more importantly to discuss and exchange best practices in whistleblower protection in the region and broadly (EU, USA) “.
Ms. Kay Binder, Policy Officer from the European Commission, Directorate-General for Neighborhood and Enlargement Negations, in her remarks, thanked RAI Secretariat for its continuing efforts to enhance whistleblower protection systems in SEE pointed out that good and functional laws and institutional arrangements, coupled with leadership commitment and public education are key to building effective whistleblower protection systems. Ms. Binder underlined the commitment of EU to support the building of such systems in line with the EU Whistleblowing Directive.
Ms. Elmerina Ahmetaj Hrelja, Project Manager and Anti-corruption Expert, who moderated the event, presented on the purpose, key requirements of the EU Whistleblowing Directive, and the importance of the transposition of the EU Whistleblowing Directive in SEE laws.
Ms. Aneta Arnaudovska, Senior Anticorruption Adviser of RAI Secretariat, presented the practice of the European Court of Human Rights on key concepts of the EU Whistleblowing Directive with a focus on reasonable belief and reversed burden of proof.
Mr. Mark Worth, Whistleblowing Expert of RAI Secretariat, who spoke about RAI Gap Analysis in SEE laws, conveyed a clear message to the participants to be open when it comes to the implementation of laws. „We have laws, we have staff, we have international experts, let’s minimize the number of factors which are frequently slowing down a reform of good governance and creation of fair society”.
Mr. Stephan Kohn from Nation Whistleblower Center, who spoke about the key sources for detecting fraud and corruption, said that „Without a strong whistleblower program corruption cannot be effectively detected or prosecuted.”
Mr. Mevludin Džindo, Assistant Director of the Agency for Prevention of Corruption and Coordination of the Fight against Corruption in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Mr. Boris Vukasinovic, Agency for the Prevention of Corruption in Montenegro, who spoke about the lifecycle of a whistleblower case handled by public institutions, addressed practical experiences in disclosure and support to investigation and protection of a whistleblower.
On a lifecycle of a whistleblower case handled by a CSO, remarks were provided by Ms. Vanja Calovic Markovic from MANS in Montenegro, who spoke about alternative reporting channels made available to a whistleblower by NGOs, and stressed the importance of the confidentiality of the identity of a whistleblower and of collecting and providing evidence investigative/prosecuting bodies.
These presentations were accompanied by tour-de-table discussions of representatives of public institutions and civil society organizations on their experiences in improving whistleblower protection, the challenges they encountered and opportunities for improvements, and in strengthening channels of communication among representatives from governmental and non-governmental sectors in handling whistleblowing reports.
Concluding remarks included a call to turn the laws into a reality and use them to make a difference in the fight against corruption, for which the following is required: the commitment of the organizational leadership, strengthened capacity to implement the law through training, public education, and transparency in how the law is implemented.
The training was conducted under the framework of the regional project ‘Breaking the Silence: Enhancing the whistleblowing policies and culture in Western Balkans and Moldova’, which is funded by the European Union and implemented by the RAI Secretariat.
For further information about the training content and the participants, please follow this link.

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[1] Directive (EU) 2019/1937 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2019 on the protection of persons who report breaches of Union law, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2019/1937/oj
* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSC 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration on Independence

Signing Ceremony of the International Treaty on Exchange of Data for the Verification of Asset Declarations
2021-03-19
The signing Ceremony of the International Treaty on Exchange of Data for the Verification of Asset Declaration, took place at the Serbia Palace (Palata Srbija) in Belgrade, Serbia on March 19th, 2021. The signing ceremony was attended by the appointed representatives of the ministries of justice and anti-corruption agencies of Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia.
Concerned and aware about the threats posed by corruption to the stability of the democratic institutions and the values of democracy, justice and good governance, the signatories have recognized the importance of international cooperation in their efforts to curb corruption.
The purpose of the International Treaty on Exchange of Data for the Verification of Asset Declaration is to prevent corruption by providing for a direct administrative exchange of information concerning asset declarations between the Parties to the Treaty.

The Treaty has been developed and negotiated under the Southeast Europe Regional Programme on Strengthening the Capacity of Anti-corruption Authorities and Civil Society to Combat Corruption and Contribute to the UNCAC Review Process, implemented by the Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative (RAI) in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and with financial support by the Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC). The Treaty signing ceremony was delayed due to the public health crisis over COVID-19, for a year, but the signatories of the Treaty, RAI and the ADC remain committed to the cause. Implementation of the Treaty and opportunities for accession of additional parties to it will be facilitated through the Regional Programme Southeast Europe against Corruption – SEE-TAC.
The International Treaty is the first of its kind in the world, and is considered to be a key element of the anti-corruption fight in the region.
For further information on the International Treaty on Exchange of Data for the Verification of Asset Declarations, please follow this link.
For more information on the signing ceremony, please follow this link.

Regional Workshop on “Strengthening Integrity in the Security Sector”
2021-05-05 - 2021-05-06
RACVIAC – Centre for Security Cooperation in cooperation with the Regional Anti-corruption Initiative (RAI) organised the Regional Workshop on “Strengthening Integrity in the Security Sector”, which took place on 05 – 06 May 2021 via the online platform.
The general objective of the Workshop was to incorporate the anti-corruption approaches in the Security sector and to increase the capacity of the relevant entities for developing effective corruption preventive and integrity mechanisms. Furthermore, the relevant international standards and useful tools for prevention and suppression of corruption were presented alongside the best practices and lessons learned in the field of building integrity, whistle-blowing policies, and future challenges.
Read more about the workshop here.

Second Annual Regional Multistakeholder Training on Whistleblower Protection
2021-11-16 08:00 - 2021-11-19 17:00 UTC | Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Peer-to-Peer Regional Meeting of Public Institutions for better whistleblower protection, the Second Annual Regional Multi-Beneficiary Training on Whistleblower Protection, and the Annual Meeting of the Southeast Europe Coalition on Whistleblower Protection were held in Sarajevo under the auspices of the regional project ‘Breaking the Silence: Enhancing the whistleblowing policies and culture in Western Balkans and Moldova’, implemented by the RAI Secretariat and financed by the European Union. The four-day event gathered representatives of relevant public institutions and NGOs from the Southeast Europe region. More information about the project can be found at the following LINK.

Anti-corruption Forum
2021-12-06 09:30 - 2021-12-09 18:30 UTC | Tirana, Albania
Regional Anti-corruption Initiative (RAI) Secretariat in partnership with the European Youth Parliament (EYP) in Albania organized and supported the Anti-Corruption Forum that gathered close to 50 youth participants, including EYP Delegates from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia.
This three-day event was organized in Tirana from December 6-9, 2021, as part of the official program of the Week of Integrity in Albania, that stands as a national awareness-raising campaign where collective action is anticipated as a leverage to draw attention on the importance of integrity and to promote ethical behavior not only in business, but also in the governmental bodies, academia and NGOs.
Read more

Southeast Europe together against corruption - Special event at UNCAC COSP9
2021-12-16 12:30 - 13:30 (Europe/Helsinki) | Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt
Regional Anti-corruption Initiative (RAI), in partnership with the UNODC Civil Society Unit (CSU) organized a Special Event during the Ninth session of the Conference of the States Parties (CoSP) to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), on December 16 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.
The special event ‘Southeast Europe TOGETHER Against Corruption’ once again emphasized the importance of working together in the fight against corruption. The hybrid event was organized under the auspice of the regional Programme “Southeast Europe – Together Against Corruption (SEE-TAC)” implemented by RAI and the UNODC CSU with the support of the Austrian Development Cooperation.
This special event was a platform for different stakeholders from across the SEE region to engage in meaningful conversation about the best recipes for cooperation and partnerships. The added value of the multi-stakeholder workshops on the UN Convention against Corruption was discussed as well as the exchange of data in asset disclosure and conflict of interest, and other relevant endeavors in the region, which could be replicated and extended to the other parts of the word. Moreover, the panelists presented their successes but also lessons learnt in partnering with peers and other stakeholders in order to achieve common goals.
Moderating the session Desislava Gotskova, Head of RAI Secretariat underlined that it is essential to unite under the idea of ‘togetherness’ when working on anti-corruption initiatives in Southeast Europe.
Momcilo Radulovic, President of the Council of the Agency for Prevention of Corruption Montenegro acknowledged that multi-stakeholder cooperation is essential to counter corruption. “It’s important to have civil society and media next to us and we have listened to NGO advice and implemented their ideas and proposals in our everyday work”, – he said.
Mirella Dummar Frahi, UNODC Chief Civil society unit highlighted the work of her Unit aiming to bring together governments, civil society and the private sector to advance the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC). This with the twofold aim of increasing knowledge and building trust among stakeholders. She also referred to the UNODC Regional Programme for South Eastern Europe, which provides the framework for UNODC initiatives throughout the region.
Representative of civil society – Snezana Kamilovska Trpovska, Programme Officer, Macedonian Centre for International Cooperation, stressed that the fight against corruption as it is not only for the governments but also for citizens. “At the same time, the CSOs should be perceived as one of the main partners” – emphasized Kamilovska Trpovska.
The perspective from private sector was presented by Jovan Nicic, Anti-corruption expert and Director of Prospector d.o.o., who told about their work on the ground level and mentioned the need to take collective action in countering corruption.
Laura Stefan, RAI Chairperson concluded saying that we can only succeed if we mainstream anti-corruption to the public.
Following the discussion with panelists, the audience members also took opportunity to contribute to the dialogue and share their perspectives. It was concluded that collaboration, partnering and cross border cooperation seems to be the best way forward for the region.
Regardless of the field of expertise, sector or country, all stakeholders should work towards a common goal: curbing corruption while partnering with peers. This approach will remain at the core of the ‘Southeast Europe TOGETHER Against Corruption’ programme, running until November 2023.

2nd Regional Coordination Meeting on Asset Recovery
2022-01-21 10:00 - 13:00 UTC
The second Regional Coordination Meeting of Technical Assistance Providers in the field of Asset Recovery took place on Friday, January 21, 2022. The meeting is a part of the regional coordination initiative undertaken under the framework of the Regional Project: Combating Corruption in the Western Balkans: Strengthening regional cooperation in the field of asset recovery implemented by the AIRE Centre and the Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative, with the support of the United Kingdom Government.
More than 30 technical assistance providers in the field of asset recovery operating in the Western Balkans jurisdictions, as well as representatives of the European Commission – Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiation, recognized the importance of good coordination between donor community, beneficiaries, and implementing partners in ensuring the effectiveness of the programs and projects implemented in the region.
Read more here

Training: Standards and Practice in Asset Recovery
2022-02-07 10:00 - 13:00 UTC
Under the framework of the Regional Project: Combating Corruption in the Western Balkans: Strengthening regional cooperation in the field of asset recovery, AIRE Centre and the Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative organised the training on Standards and Practice in Asset Recovery, with the support of the United Kingdom Government.
Training gathered more than 100 judges, prosecutors, judicial associates and judicial academies’ trainees from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia in an online format on February 7, 2022. The objective of the training was to provide participants with essential knowledge on the importance of asset recovery, an overview of relevant jurisprudence, principles of identification and permanent seizure of proceeds of crime, as well as international and domestic standards for the extended asset confiscation.
Read more

Training “Effective Asset Recovery: Judicial Perspective”, Tirana, Albania
2022-03-15 08:00 - 16:00 UTC | Tirana, Albania
On March 15, 2022, AIRE Centre and the RAI Secretariat organised the training on “Effective Asset Recovery: Judicial Perspective”. The training brought together twenty judges and prosecutors from Albania, offering them an engaging learning format with the leading regional and UK experts, as trainers.
Ledina Mandija, Lawyer and Lecturer at Tirana University Law Faculty and Epoka University, opened the training by emphasizing the necessity of regional approach and highlighting the importance of the regional network of asset recovery professionals for enabling the comparative analysis, providing experts with relevant resources and ensuring adequate cooperation in the region.
Director of the Magistrate School of the Republic of Albania Arben Rakipi in his opening speech shared information on the implementation of Anti-Mafia Law, Law on Money Laundering and case law examples from Albania.
Professor of the University of Sarajevo, Faculty for Criminalistics, Criminology and Security Studies, Eldan Mujanovic spoke about the international standards and extended confiscation in the regional practice including the good practice examples.
HH Judge Michael Hopmeier from the Southwark Crown Court in London, United Kingdom spoke of the practical challenges and issues that arise in court proceedings related to the money laundering charges.
Mirjana Lazarova Trajkovska, Judge of the Supreme Court of the Republic of North Macedonia shared important points on human rights standards and asset recovery measures from ECtHR case-law perspective. She also outlined the importance of the role of the knowledgeable judges and the professional example they set for their colleagues.
This training is organised under the framework of the three-year regional project “Combating corruption and organised crime in the Western Balkans through strengthening regional cooperation in asset recovery” which started in September 2021. The project, funded by the UK Government, is covering the following jurisdictions: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia. The participation of Bulgaria, Croatia, Moldova and Romania is ensured through RAI.

* This designation is without prejudice to the positions on status and is in line with UNSC 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence

The Annual Alumni Conference of the Southeast Europe Regional Asset Recovery Alumni Network
2022-03-16 08:00 - 16:00 UTC | Tirana, Albania
Today, Tirana was the central point for regional experts’ cooperation in the asset recovery activities, with the Alumni Asset Recovery Practitioners’ Conference gathering over 70 professionals from the Southeast Europe region, as well as the UK experts. The Conference is a part of the project “Combating corruption and organised crime in the Western Balkans through strengthening regional cooperation in asset recovery” implemented by the Advice on Individual Rights in Europe (AIRE Centre) in cooperation with the Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative (RAI) Secretariat, funded by the UK Government.
“Today, we gathered judges, prosecutors and experts from the Western Balkans, as well as their colleagues from other jurisdictions, to discuss regional cooperation in confiscation of the proceeds of crime and tools for its effective implementation. Confiscating the proceeds of crime helps eliminate the greatest incentive for criminal conduct: profit. Facilitating asset recovery in the region is crucial for the long-term, global fight against corruption and organized crime. Further, asset recovery strengthens public trust in institutions and is an essential aspect of efforts to uphold the rule of law in the region”, shared Biljana Braithwaite, Program Director of the AIRE Center for the Western Balkans.
The United Kingdom reaffirmed its strong support for asset recovery activities, with a strong emphasis on regional cooperation. “Asset recovery is a crucial tool in the fight against organised crime and corruption, enabling better security and economic prosperity for citizens. Through the UK-funded regional project delivered by the AIRE Centre, in partnership with the RAI Secretariat, the UK supports strengthened regional and international cooperation to share best practice, track money laundering and recover stolen assets”, added Jason Ivory, Chargé d’Affaires at the British Embassy in Tirana.
Desislava Gotskova, Head of the RAI Secretariat, underlined the importance of confiscation and asset recovery in the fight against organized crime. “The importance of regional cooperation is essential for the effective fight against corruption. Responding to its member states’ priorities, RAI has been active in the field of asset recovery for a number of years, supporting its members’ endeavors to strengthen their capacities for effective confiscation of proceeds of crime. This conference is a vivid example of fostering regional cooperation among the asset recovery practitioners from Southeast Europe together, as the best way forward”, concluded Gotskova.

Budva: Practical Training “Asset Recovery in Legislation and Practice”
2022-03-18 08:00 - 2022-03-19 16:00 UTC | Budva, Budva, Montenegro
The Advice on Individual Rights in Europe (AIRE Centre) and the Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative (RAI) Secretariat organised the Multidisciplinary Training on Confiscation of Assets acquired from Criminal Activity in Budva, Montenegro om March 18 and 19, 2022.
The Training brought together judges and prosecutors from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia, who engaged in a practical learning format with the leading regional asset recovery experts.
Judge of the Supreme Cassation Court of the Republic of Serbia, Radmila Dragicevic Dicic contextualized legal provisions for confiscation of proceeds of crime in cases from Serbian and regional judicial practice. Professor Eldan Mujanovic from the University of Sarajevo Faculty of Criminalistics, Criminology, and Security Studies introduced participants to the international standards for extended confiscation of assets. Milos Soskic, Prosecutor of the Special Prosecutors’ Office of Montenegro focused on identification and confiscation of proceeds of crime from the perspective of financial investigation and cooperation.
During the training, judges and prosecutors have analysed the practical case and have presented their approach on the investigation and the proceeding, in respect to their national legislation. Cases were analysed and presented both from judicial and prosecutorial perspective.

This Training is organised under the framework of the three-year regional project “Combating corruption and organised crime in the Western Balkans through strengthening regional cooperation in asset recovery” which started in September 2021. The project, funded by the UK Government, is covering the following jurisdictions: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia. The participation of Bulgaria, Croatia, Moldova and Romania is ensured through RAI.

* This designation is without prejudice to the positions on status and is in line with UNSC 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence

Sofia: 37th RAI Steering Group Meeting
2022-04-07 - 2022-04-08 | Sofia, Bulgaria
37th Regional Anti-corruption Initiative (RAI) Steering Group (SG) Meeting took place on April 7-8, 2022 in Sofia, Bulgaria. The meeting was hosted by the Ministry of Interior and organized by the RAI Secretariat. The meeting was opened by Ms. Tanya Raycheva, Deputy Minister of Interior of Bulgaria and Ms. Laura Stefan, RAI Chairperson.
Ms. Raycheva highlighted that the communication, dialogue and cooperation in the region are key to launching beneficial initiatives at bilateral and multilateral level and to coordinate common anti-corruption activities in Southeastern Europe. She particularly pointed out the role of RAI as a generator of innovative ideas, raising the introduction and use of new tools to prevent and fight corruption such as the Treaty on Exchange of Data for the Verification of Asset Declarations.
RAI Steering Group is the decision-making body of the Regional Anti-corruption Initiative, composed of representatives of its member countries. The objective of the 37th RAI Steering Group Meeting was to plan the upcoming activities and deliberate on the next RAI planning cycle. A particular focus was given to the activities and events to be held in 2022, especially the endeavors related to the International Treaty for Exchange of Data for Verification of Asset Declaration.
At the session dedicated to partnerships, it was talked about the efforts for strengthening cooperation with RAI’s long-standing partners, as well as about expanding cooperation and forging new partnerships. During the session, the SG had an opportunity to exchange views with the Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD) on behalf of SELDI Network, Advice on Individual Rights in Europe (AIRE) and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Civil Society Unit.
Related documents:
Agenda
Summary and Conclusions

Tirana: Training for Higher Education and Public Enterprises Sector on CRA and CPL
2022-05-12 09:00 - 2022-05-13 17:00 UTC | Hotel Plaza, Rruga Abdi Toptani 18, Tirana, Albania
Agenda May 12 and 13_Tirana

Online seminar on the ECtHR jurisprudence in the matters of confiscation of property acquired by criminal activity
2022-06-09 14:30 - 16:30 UTC
Online Seminar on the ECtHR jurisprudence in the matters of confiscation of property acquired by criminal activity will be held on June 9, 2022, from 14.30-16.30. The seminar is intended for judges, prosecutors, and trainees of the Judicial Academies and Judicial Training Institutes in the Western Balkans jurisdictions.
The seminar will be delivered by Mirjana Lazarova Trajkovska, Judge of the Supreme Court of the Republic of North Macedonia, former Judge of the European Court of Human Rights, and by Radmila Dragicevic Dicic, Judge of Supreme Court of Cassation of the Republic of Serbia.
Simultaneous interpretation in Albanian, Bosnian/Croatian/Montenegrin/Serbian, Macedonian and English will be provided at the online seminar.
The seminar is organised under the regional project “Combating corruption and organised crime in the Western Balkans through strengthening regional cooperation in asset recovery”, implemented by the AIRE Centre in partnership with the RAI Secretariat, and funded by the UK Government.

Meeting on achieving accurate, comprehensive and standard recording of asset recovery statistics
2022-06-13 - 2022-06-14 | Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Advice on Individual Rights in Europe (AIRE) Centre in partnership with the Regional Anti-corruption Initiative (RAI) Secretariat have organized the Meeting on achieving accurate, comprehensive and standard recording of asset recovery statistics in cooperation with the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina, on 13 and 14 June 2022.
The regional Meeting on achieving accurate, comprehensive and standard recording of asset recovery statistics was held in Sarajevo today. The meeting brought together directors of asset management agencies, judges and prosecutors from Montenegro, Serbia, North Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a focus on presenting good practices in accessing adequate data monitoring and recording information on this issue.
The Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative and the AIRE Centre Western Balkans Program, as part of a regional cooperation project aiming to achieve more efficient confiscation and management of criminal assets, supported by the UK Government, brought together experts in more efficient recording and statistics of confiscated assets. “Recognizing what we can do together in the region, how to connect practitioners from the North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia, and what the Bosnia and Herzegovina as a host country can present and offer as examples of good practice”, said Nevena Kostic, AIRE Centre’s project manager.
Representatives of the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of BiH presented the legislative model governing the generation, collection and distribution of statistics on confiscation of illegally acquired property in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and IT solutions in the judiciary that facilitate the collection and distribution of statistics.
Read more here.

The 3rd Asset Recovery Technical Assistance Providers Coordination Meeting
2022-06-29 08:00 - 17:00 UTC | Belgrade, Serbia
“Without confiscation of property, there is no fight against crime” was a clear message of the 3rd Asset Recovery Technical Assistance Providers Coordination Meeting held in Belgrade today, which gathered representatives of EUROPOL, OSCE, EU Delegations in the region, UNODC, UNDP as well as technical assistance providers involved in the asset recovery reform in the region.
The meeting is a part of the regional coordination initiative undertaken under the framework of the Regional Project: Combating Corruption in the Western Balkans: Strengthening regional cooperation in the field of asset recovery implemented by the AIRE Centre and the Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative, with the support of the United Kingdom Government.
The meeting had several objectives, including fostering coordination between the existing and the new asset recovery projects in the region with the view of avoiding duplication of efforts, as well as determining potential areas for collaboration amongst the existing and future endeavors.
Participants shared information about their current and future projects in the Western Balkans, jointly identified gaps in assistance through discussion, and shared lessons learned aiming to pinpoint the most common obstacles for the effective provision of technical assistance as well as ideas how to mitigate them.
Read more about Asset Recovery Technical Assistance Providers Coordination meetings:
Regional Donor Coordination Meeting organised by AIRE Centre and RAI Secretariat
2nd Regional Coordination Meeting of Asset Recovery Technical Assistance Providers in the Western Balkans
The 3rd Asset Recovery Technical Assistance Providers Coordination Meeting held in Belgrade

Regional Workshop on Implementing the UNCAC in SEE: Private Sector Integrity
2023-10-10 - 2023-10-11 | Dubrovnik, Croatia, Dubrovnik, Croatia (Local Name: Hrvatska)
DUBROVNIK, October 10-11, 2023 – Southeast Europe-Together against Corruption (SEE-TAC) Programme team implemented Workshop on Implementing the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) in SEE: Private Sector Integrity. The event was organized by the UNODC Civil Society Unit, in collaboration with the Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative (RAI) Secretariat.
This gathering brought together representatives from various entities including small businesses, Chambers of Commerce, business unions, and others from across the region. Over the course of two days, participants engaged in fruitful discussions and exchanged experiences regarding the involvement of the private sector in the development and implementation of effective anti-corruption measures and policies, all within the framework of the UNCAC.
Mirella Dummar Frahi, Chief of the UNODC Civil Society Unit, emphasized that UNCAC fundamentally shapes the environment in which the private sector operates. Given the fundamental role of the private sector in combatting corruption, it is imperative to grasp the essence and advantages of the Convention, advocate for its application and oversight, and establish preventative measures and collaborative approaches in accordance with its provisions.
Desislava Gotskova, Head of RAI Secretariat, highlighted that the benefits of strengthening regional cooperation remain essential for the effective implementation of all initiatives, especially in the review and implementation of UNCAC. Recognizing that corporate and business integrity can only be safeguarded through efficient cooperation and joint endeavors. She also highlighted the importance of SEE-TAC in bringing together different actors from all over the region in order to exchange experiences and best practices and cultivate collaborative actions.
During the first day, the agenda combined both the theoretical overview of the fundamental principles of the Conventions focusing on possibilities for private sector engagement, as well as the practical work in groups related to ethical leadership and leading with integrity. Day two was devoted to the topic of business integrity, focusing on importance of business ethics and corporate integrity as important elements to secure the competitive advantage of companies and the financial systems even in times of crisis and risks.
This regional event was organized under auspices of the Regional Programme Southeast Europe-Together against Corruption (SEE-TAC) with the financial support of the Austrian Development Cooperation.
Event Agenda
Photo Gallery

Policy Forum: Anti-Corruption, Democratic Resilience and Economic Security
2023-11-09 | Sofia, Bulgaria
The Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative Secretariat represented by Ms. Desislava Gotskova, Head of Secretariat and Mr. Nikola Naumovski, Senior Anti-corruption Adviser, participated in the International Policy Forum “Anti-corruption, Democratic Resilience and Economic Security”, organized by the Center for the Study of Democracy Bulgaria on 9 November 2023 in Sofia, Bulgaria.
The Forum started with opening remarks of Mr. Ognian Shentov, Chairman of the Center for the Study of Democracy, and Mr. Siri Beate Barry, Ambassador of Norway to Romania, Bulgaria and Moldova, who underlined the necessity for putting existing policy engagements into practice, while the keynote speakers Mr. Nikolay Denkov, Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria and Ms. Laura Kövesi, European Chief Prosecutor both acknowledged the challenges facing EU initiatives aimed at combating corruption and state capture. They highlighted that the solution should be sought not only in fair and effective justice but also through awareness and cultural change.
Mr. Denkov emphasized that the fight against corruption is not only a fight to save public money but a fight to preserve democracy. In his words, the importance of the fight against corruption has acquired new and more global dimensions.
“When it comes to corruption, it was already hard enough to make citizens understand how it influences their lives. In reality, corruption has been and continues to be tolerated to a large extent. Everywhere. There is no clean country,” said Ms. Laura Kövesi.
The Forum comprised presentations and panel discussions covering the key principles and requirements over the agenda topics: Building Democratic Resilience through Anti-Corruption Policy and Action; Anti-Corruption Policy Implementation; New Instruments for Engagement and Impact; Countering Strategic Corruption and Advancing Economic Security in Europe and Strengthening Public-Private Partnerships against Corruption.
The panellists underlined that the lack of strong political leaders, capacity and procedures are hampering the effort to stop illicit financial flows, as well as the process of freezing and seizing assets belonging to actors sanctioned for corruption, illegal enrichment, money laundering, and organized crime. They recommended the systematic and continuous use of corruption risk assessment tools to identify and prevent the most prevalent and damaging corruption and conflict of interest schemes at institutional, sector and local levels. It is also necessary to harmonize the definitions of all corruption offenses, increase sanctions on natural and legal persons, develop e-Governance, and provide better investigative tools. In conclusion, the participants encouraged lawmakers and law enforcement to work jointly with the civil society, academia, business and media.
Ms. Desislava Gotskova, Head of RAI Secretariat, chaired a panel “Strengthening Public-Private Partnerships against Corruption” with prominent speakers: Boyko Todorov, Senior Associate Fellow, Center for the Study of Democracy, Bulgaria, Ferenc Bíró, President, Hungarian Integrity Authority, Aleksandra Vojinović, Secretary of the Council, Agency for Prevention of Corruption, Montenegro and Daniel Belingher, Head of Service for Implementing Structural Funds, Studies and Strategies, National Integrity Agency, Romania.
RAI is continuing to support the efforts and anticorruption reforms in West Balkans countries, Moldova and Ukraine to speed up the EU accession process by providing and unique platform for knowledge and practice sharing between the countries in Southeast Europe.

Regional Round Table “Bridging for Effective Asset Disclosure Systems"
2023-12-20 | Skopje, North Macedonia, Skopje, North Macedonia
Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative (RAI) Secretariat organized a momentous event in Skopje, North Macedonia, on December 20, 2023. The Regional Roundtable, named “Bridging for Effective Asset Disclosure Systems,” united representatives from relevant institutions across Southeast Europe. Coordinated by the RAI Secretariat in collaboration with the State Commission for Preventing Corruption of North Macedonia, the event aimed to bolster collaboration and address challenges associated with asset disclosure systems in the region.
Welcoming participants to the Roundtable, Ms. Desislava Gotskova, the Head of RAI Secretariat, underscored RAI’s role in facilitating the development, negotiations, and signing of the International Treaty on Exchange of Data for the Verification of Asset Declarations. To streamline data exchange and the asset declaration verification process and to prepare for the effective implementation of the Treaty, RAI Secretariat has initiated a Blueprint in which the existing gaps and challenges in the current asset declaration systems have been assessed.
Ms. Biljana Ivanovska, President of the State Commission for Preventing Corruption of North Macedonia, extended a warm welcome on behalf of her institution. She emphasized RAI’s proactive efforts in developing a regional mechanism for asset disclosure. This involved a thorough assessment of the legal and digital architecture in beneficiary jurisdictions to identify key obstacles. The aim was to collectively find solutions at the regional level, to strengthen the exchange of information and mitigate challenges in the asset disclosure process.
The working session commenced with insightful presentations during the first session, titled “Asset Disclosure: A Tool to Prevent Corruption,” delivered by prominent RAI partners. Associate Professor of Criminology at the University of Trento, Mr. Andrea Di Nicola, delivered presentation of the qAID Project “Towards contemporary knowledge and innovative tools for assessing and enhancing the effectiveness of asset and interest disclosure systems in EU member and candidate states,” conducted in collaboration with RAI. In the second session, RAI experts, Ms. Irena Brzanova and Mr. Esmin Berhamovic provided an overview of outcomes and recommendations from the Blueprint. A significant focus was also placed on the exchange of views and expressing professional and practical opinions of participants, during the third session, with only one goal: to contribute to building an effective and efficient asset declaration system.
The event concluded with the official adoption of the Blueprint document, marking a significant milestone in the fight against corruption in the region. In summary, the “Bridging for Effective Asset Disclosure Systems” roundtable in Skopje signifies a substantial step forward in the regional effort to combat corruption.
This regional event was organized under auspices of the Regional Programme Southeast Europe-Together against Corruption (SEE-TAC) with the financial support of the Austrian Development Cooperation.

AGENDA

44th RAI Steering Group Meeting
2024-12-05 - 2024-12-06 | Tirana, Albania
Representatives of Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative member countries gathered in Tirana for the 44th RAI Steering Group Meeting, hosted by the Ministry of Public Administration and Anti-Corruption of Albania as part of the Week of Integrity. This important event brought together representatives of anti-corruption bodies, ministries, and agencies from across the SEE region to review the progress and implementation of ongoing projects, evaluate the Work Plan 2023-2025, and align RAI’s strategic objectives.
In the opening remarks, Ms. Adea Pirdeni, Minister of Public Administration and Anti-Corruption expressed support for the work of RAI and praised the organization for bringing the region together to discuss the challenges and look for solutions together.
RAI Chairperson, Mr. Dražen Jelenić, expressed in his opening remarks optimism for fruitful and important discussions with a focus on strengthening regional cooperation through enhanced anti-corruption mechanisms and planning activities for the upcoming year. Mr. Jelenić also underlined that the anti-corruption efforts and initiatives taken by Albania can serve as an inspiration to the entire region.
Additional Information:
Summary and Decisions

Training on CRA in the Nature/Biodiversity Protection Sector
2025-11-17 | Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Target groups:

Representatives from the Ministry responsible for environmental protection; the Ministry of Justice; the anti-corruption body; other independent oversight institutions; services of parliamentary committees in charge of environmental protection and anti-corruption; public enterprises, and other state entities responsible for nature protection and management of protected areas.
Representatives of civil society organisations (CSOs) involved in environmental protection and anti-corruption efforts.

The Overall Goal of the Training:
To introduce participants to the content and purpose of the CRA Guidance with Checklists in the Nature/Biodiversity Protection Sector and to build their capacity to apply the Checklists in their work when analysing areas and processes particularly vulnerable to corruption, and in identifying measures for improvement.
