Sarajevo: Peer-to-Peer Regional Meeting of Public Institutions
2023-01-31 | Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Peer-to-Peer Regional Meeting of Public Institutions: Ensuring Strong Protections for Employees who Report Wrongdoing will be held in Sarajevo, on January 31, 2023.

Sarajevo: Third Annual Regional Multi-Beneficiary Training on Whistleblower Protection
2023-02-01 - 2023-02-02 | Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Third Annual Regional Multi-Beneficiary Training on Whistleblower Protection: Ensuring Strong Protections for Employees who Report Wrongdoing will be held on February 1-2, 2023 in Sarajevo.

Sarajevo: Annual Meeting of the Southeast Europe Coalition on Whistleblower Protection
2023-02-03 | Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Annual Meeting of the Southeast Europe Coalition on Whistleblower Protection will be held on February 3, 2023 in Sarajevo.

39th RAI Steering Group Meeting taking place on 9-10 March, online
2023-03-07 08:00 - 17:00 UTC
39th Regional Anti-corruption Initiative (RAI) Steering Group (SG) Meeting will take place online on March 9-10.
The meeting will be solely dedicated to selection of the Senior Anti-Corruption Advisor.

More information coming soon.

Have we broken the silence? (Project closeout event followed by a networking reception)
2023-03-14 12:00 - 14:00 UTC | Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Closeout Event for the EU funded regional Project ‘Breaking the Silence: Enhancing Whistleblowing Policies and Culture in the Western Balkans and Moldova’ will be held on 14 March, 2023 in hotel Courtyard Marriott, Sarajevo. This will be a mid-afternoon, one-and-a-half-hour event, followed by a networking reception.
The closeout event will be hosted by RAI Secretariat, with its headquarters in Sarajevo, and organized in collaboration with the EU Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The main purpose of the closeout event is to provide visibility and recognition to EU as donor and RAI as implementing partner, through the presentation of key Project results in the context of the overall mission, goals and activities of RAI and EU in SEE.

Regional Conference "Effective Asset Recovery in the Western Balkans"
2023-03-15 10:00 - 2023-03-16 17:00 (Europe/Paris) | Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
On 15 and 16 March 2023, the RAI Secretariat (Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative – RAI), in cooperation with the AIRE Centre (Advice on Individual Rights in Europe) is organising the Annual Alumni Conference “Effective Asset Recovery in the Western Balkans”.
The conference is organised within the project “Combating corruption and organised crime in the Western Balkans through strengthening regional cooperation in asset recovery”. Since 2019, supported by the UK Government, the project is being implemented in all six Western Balkans jurisdictions, with participation of Bulgaria, Croatia, Moldova and Romania.

22-23 March 2023, Skopje NMK: SEE Anti-corruption Women Leaders Forum Initiative, Skopje
2023-03-22 08:00 - 2023-03-23 17:00 UTC

Regional Event on CRA and CPL for Higher Education and Public Enterprises Sectors
2023-04-04 09:00 - 2023-04-05 17:00 UTC | Belgrade, Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia
RAI Secretariat organized Regional Event for Higher Education and Public Enterprises Sectors on Corruption Risk Assessment (CRA) and Corruption Proofing of Legislation (CPL) in Belgrade, Serbia on April 4th and 5th.
Regional Workshop gathered peers from respective ministries for Higher Education and Public Enterprises Sectors and anti-corruption agencies/commissions, from all the capitals where trainings took place in the course of 2022. Representatives from the Agency for Prevention of Corruption of Serbia and Ministry of Economy participated in the event.
Read more at the LINK

Workshop on Conflict of Interest in the Security Sector, Podgorica, Montenegro
2023-05-15 08:00 - 2023-05-19 17:00 UTC | Podgorica, Montenegro

AFA/OECD event on regulatory frameworks for promoting business integrity, Paris, France
2023-05-22 08:00 - 2023-05-23 17:00 UTC | Paris, Paris, France

“Conference on Combating Corruption: The Challenges of Regional Cooperation in the Implementation of the UNCAC”, Luanda, Angola
2023-05-29 - 2023-06-02 | Luanda, Angola, Luanda, Angola
The Conference on Combating Corruption took place from 29 May – 2 June 2023 in Luanda, Angola with the opening of the „High Level Segment”, where direction was provided by the Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Marcy Cláudio Lopes. The High Level Segment is focused on the challenges of cooperation between SADC Member States. It brings together leaders of the Member States of the Community of Southern African Countries (SADC), top specialists from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), from partner organizations and countries. Mr. Nikola Naumovski, Senior Anti-Corruption Adviser of the RAI Secretariat, presented the work of the Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative and participated in the panel: „Collective action in ensuring good governance: how the regional platform approach helps strengthening the prevention and fight against corruption”, with the representatives of UNODC, IACA, SADC, ASCE-LC Burkina Faso and CGU Brazil. RAI was recognized as a case of success of anti-corruption regional initiatives and has impacted the good governance within its Member States.
The first two days were dedicated to the Technical Segment. The event seeks to strengthen the fight against corruption, promote transparency, good governance and reinforce compliance with the established goals, within the scope of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC). On the other hand, stems from the recognition of the urgent need to develop coordinated and cooperative actions within the scope of SADC to prevent and combat corruption, as a global challenge that negatively affects economic development, social justice and political stability. In the five day Conference, participants will discuss ways to share successful experiences and seek solutions to jointly face the fight against corruption. Among the main topics addressed, the following stand out:

The challenges of regional cooperation in the implementation of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption;
Current legal framework in SADC countries;
Adoption of a SADC roadmap on priority areas for preventing and combating Corruption in the region.

R2G4P Specialised Regional Training and Summer School, Belgrade, Serbia
2023-05-29 08:00 - 2023-05-31 17:00 UTC | Belgrade, Serbia

Prespa Forum Dialogue 2023, Struga, North Macedonia
2023-06-15 - 2023-06-16 | Struga, North Macedonia, Struga, North Macedonia

Online: 40th RAI Steering Group Meeting
2023-06-19
40th Regional Anti-corruption Initiative (RAI) Steering Group (SG) Meeting took place on June 19, 2023 in the teleconference format.
The meeting was chaired by RAI Chairperson, Ms. Laura Stefan. It was attended by eight member countries’ representatives.
A particular focus was given to the RAI’s application for the UNCAC CoSP Observer status.
Steering Group Members approved the Observer status for NTA Greece and SBI Ukraine.
Agenda
Summary and Conclusions

Regional Training on CRA and CPL Monitoring and Evaluation
2023-06-22 09:00 - 2023-06-23 17:00 UTC | Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
RAI Secretariat organized Regional Training on Monitoring and Evaluation of Corruption Risk Assessment (CRA) and Corruption Proofing of Legislation (CPL) mechanisms in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 22nd and 23rd.
Regional Training gathered peers from respective ministries and anti-corruption agencies/commissions from all the capitals directly involved in the process of monitoring and evaluating the aforementioned mechanisms.
Mr. Nikola Naumovski, Senior Anti-Corruption Advisor in RAI Secretariat delivered opening remarks.
After the introductory speech, RAI expert, Mr. Radu Nicolae delivered the first session dedicated to the importance of CRA and CPL mechanisms in the process of combating corruption and the importance of monitoring and evaluating these mechanisms in practice. During this session, Mr. Nicolae introduced newly developed Monitoring and Evaluation Methodologies for CRA and CPL Mechanisms.
During the second part of the Regional Training participants had the opportunity to observe practical examples from different jurisdictions and to participate in brainstorming and constructive discussions. This session was focused on applying newly developed Methodologies to concrete situations from everyday work.
The regional capacity building training was aimed to increase the knowledge of participants in the area of monitoring and impact assessment (evaluation) of implementation of the CRA and CPL mechanisms and to support them to apply CRA/CPL monitoring and evaluation methodology (tools and indicators) in their jurisdictions. Besides these goals, the event was focused on gathering opinions and identifying the needs of project beneficiaries for drafting a roadmap of a new phase of the project.
The training in Sarajevo was organized in the framework of the project South East Europe – Together Against Corruption (SEE-TAC), jointly implemented by RAI and UNODC – United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime – Civil Society Unit and funded by Austrian Development Cooperation.

Webinar: Promoting Public Administration Integrity via Regional Cooperation in Southeast Europe
2023-06-30 10:00 - 12:30 (Europe/Sarajevo)
The webinar aims at engaging policymakers, CSOs, anti-corruption agencies, and regional organizations and discusses good practices for building risk assessment at the specific sectors vulnerable to corruption (e.g. recruitment and public procurement in public-owned enterprises, higher education, etc.), accompanied by effective impact assessment methodology. Good examples of tailored integrity trainings at the national and local levels will be presented. A focus will be placed on the role of the CSOs and the academia in developing comprehensive studies and research in order to gain broader insight into the corruption trends and integrity risks, leading to the creation of responsive strategies. The corruption preventive mechanisms and monitoring tools developed by the RAI, SELDI/MACPI, the SIGMA/OECD, and the efforts made by the ReSPA towards strengthening capacities, competencies, and the zero tolerance to corruption mindsets of public servants will be further underlined.

Sarajevo: RAI Summer School for Junior Practitioners
2023-07-03 - 2023-07-07 | Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative organized the 18th Summer School on Corruption Risk Assessment (CRA) and Corruption Proofing of Legislation (CPL) for Junior Anti-Corruption Practitioners from South-East Europe. It took place on 3-7 July in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In her opening remarks, the Head of RAI Secretariat pointed out that Summer School was originally initiated in 2005 to build and strengthen the capacities of anti-corruption bodies in the region and to provide a platform for junior practitioners to learn new practices and share knowledge and experience.
This year’s focus is on corruption risk assessment and corruption proofing of legislation as strong corruption prevention mechanisms with an aim to enable the participants, junior representatives of anti-corruption agencies and ministries of justice to obtain advanced knowledge on the latest developments and practice in these fields and prepare them to use this knowledge in their daily work said Ms. Gotskova.
Starting with 18th Summer School, RAI Secretariat is launching the Anti-Corruption Summer School Alumni, an exclusive platform designed to foster continued collaboration, knowledge sharing, and professional development among past participants of the program.
Full story on the event is available at the LINK

Webinar on Monitoring and Evaluation of Corruption Risk Assessment and Corruption Proofing of Legislation
2023-09-14 | Online
Following the success of the regional event in Sarajevo, RAI Secretariat hosted a follow-up webinar focusing on Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) of Corruption Risk Assessment (CRA) and Corruption Proofing of Legislation (CPL) mechanisms.
The follow-up webinar was aimed to enhance participants’ capacity in monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the CRA and CPL mechanisms.
In this interactive and practice-oriented webinar, participants delved into critical topics, including SWOT analysis of corruption risk assessment and corruption proofing of legislation M&E implementation. The session also guided participants in designing M&E plans, establishing monitoring indicators, and effectively communicating results.
This event was tailored for representatives from public institutions in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, and North Macedonia. We encouraged the inclusion of diverse perspectives and worked on identifying the challenges and solutions in the implementation of monitoring and evaluation methodologies.
The webinar was organized in the framework of the project South East Europe – Together Against Corruption (SEE-TAC), jointly implemented by RAI and UNODC – United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime – Civil Society Unit and funded by Austrian Development Cooperation.
*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.

Multi-Stakeholder Workshop on the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) and its Review Mechanism
2023-09-18 - 2023-09-21 | Montenegro, Montenegro
From 19 – 21 September 2023, in Becici, Montenegro, a three-day workshop was organized by the UNODC Civil Society Unit in collaboration with the Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative (RAI) and with the support of the Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC). This event brought together more than 50 stakeholders, including representatives from public authorities, civil society, the private sector, as well as partner organizations like the UNCAC Coalition and the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime. The primary objective of the workshop was to deeply explore the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), with a specific emphasis on Chapter II, which pertains to preventive measures, and Chapter V, which deals with asset recovery. Additionally, it served as a platform for the exchange of information and the sharing of best practices in these domains.
Mr. Nikola Naumovski, the Senior Anti-Corruption Advisor explained that RAI, primarily an intergovernmental organization, has increasingly embraced civil society organizations in its efforts to support governments in anti-corruption initiatives and international obligations. He stressed, “We find that such inclusive implementation brings stronger and more sustained impact for the Southeast European region.”
During the opening session, H.E. Michael Müller, the Ambassador of Austria in Montenegro, emphasized that workshops of this nature significantly contribute to empowering civil society and the private sector to meaningfully engage in the implementation of the Convention. He emphasized, “Efforts against corruption concern us all, hence, intensifying regional cooperation and sharing experiences is crucial.” Müller highlighted trust in governments and public administration as the “fragile link that binds society together.”
Representing the Agency for Prevention of Corruption in Montenegro, Nina Sekulovic mentioned that the country is committed to “continuous and comprehensive efforts for the implementation of the UN Convention against Corruption”. Montenegro underwent a country visit during the second cycle of the UNCAC review in March 2022. Notably, civil society organizations previously trained by UNODC through similar workshops were invited by the government to partake in the process. In 2022, Montenegro also pledged its commitment to transparency by signing the UNCAC Coalition’s Transparency Pledge, voluntarily committing to a high level of transparency during the second cycle of the UNCAC implementation review.
The workshop was conducted within the framework of the Regional Programme, “Southeast Europe – Together Against Corruption (SEE-TAC)”, which primarily focuses on strengthening multi-stakeholder collaboration and responses to the challenges presented by corruption in the SEE region.

Asset Sharing Agreement Meeting (Sastanak povodom modela regionalnog sporazuma o podjeli oduzete imovine proistekle iz krivičnog djela)
2023-09-28 | Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Mainstreaming the systematic corruption risk assessments in SEE
2023-09-28 | Online
On September 28, 2023, the RAI Secretariat and R2G4P members came together to host an online webinar titled “Mainstreaming Systematic Corruption Risk Assessments in Southeastern Europe (SEE).” This virtual event, which drew around 50 participants from both the region and around the world, served as a platform for lively discussions and the exchange of valuable insights regarding Corruption Risk Assessments (CRA) diagnostic tools established at various levels.
Corruption risk assessment stands as a crucial diagnostic instrument employed by public bodies. Its purpose is to identify and mitigate the pervasive and detrimental forms of corruption and conflicts of interest within institutional, sectoral, and local contexts. The webinar provided a unique opportunity for over 50 participants to delve into the key issues and challenges linked to the adoption of risk-based approaches. Moreover, it explored the importance of cultivating open, transparent, and dependable data sources to combat emerging systematic corruption threats.
Throughout the event, the esteemed panelists presented their perspectives on the roles played by regional, international, and civil society organizations. These entities are integral in crafting methodologies and diagnostic tools designed for monitoring and evaluating governments’ anti-corruption endeavors, all while adhering to international anti-corruption standards. Their collaborative efforts underscore the significance of cohesive networks in the ongoing fight against corruption.
In summary, the RAI Secretariat and R2G4P members orchestrated a truly engaging and informative webinar. By fostering dialogue among diverse stakeholders, it contributed to the advancement of anti-corruption initiatives and highlighted the importance of a unified front in the global battle against corruption.
The event was organized under the auspices of R2G4P project. The project, coordinated by the Center for the Study of Democracy, Bulgaria benefits from a €1.5 million grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA and Norway Grants Fund for Regional Cooperation. The aim of the project is to implement shared anti-corruption and good governance solutions in SEE through innovative practices and public-private partnerships.
More information:

Event Agenda
Presentations:Mr. Ioannis Foustanakis, Head, Directorate for Strategic Planning and Behavioral Analysis, National Transparency Authority, Greece
Ms. Julija Nikolovska, Head, Integrity Department, Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance
Mr. Milos Pavkovic, Researcher,CEP
Mr. Stanley Chio, Principal Corruption Prevention Officer of the Corruption Prevention Department of the Independent Commission Against Corruption
Mr. Radu Nicolae, RAI Anti-Corruption Expert, President, Syene Centre for Education, Bucharest
Ms. Tatiana Mostovei, Chief Inspector, Institutional Assessment Division, General Corruption Prevention Directorate, National Anticorruption Centre

Photo Gallery:

Webinar - Effectively identifying Corruption Risks in the Central - Local Level Budget Distribution and Spending
2023-10-10 | Online
Regional Anti-corruption Initiative (RAI) Secretariat together with the R2G4P hosted today an online webinar titled “Effectively Identifying Corruption Risks in the Central – Local Level Budget Distribution and Spending”.
In her opening remarks, Ms. Desislava Gotskova, Head of RAI Secretariat, emphasized that the RAI Secretariat with its expertise in specific anti-corruption areas has contributed to the project implementation, especially in the fields of sectoral corruption risk assessment and corruption proofing of legislation and asset declarations. Ms. Gotskova highlighted the importance of R2G4P platform which brings together new partners both from the public sector and from the non-governmental sector, as well as regional and international organizations, in their efforts to find joint solutions in tackling new corruption forms and threats in line with the EU Anti-Corruption Package, the Summit for Democracy Commitments, and the renewed enlargement momentum.
The webinar brought together more than 70 participants from the R2G4P platform, anti-corruption agencies, competent ministries, researchers, custom and tax authorities, representatives of the associations of local authorities in the region, policymakers, investigative journalists, experts and the CSOs representatives to discuss, share experiences, and inspire new practices for strengthening the integrity and accountability of the public administration and the public sector in general, in the development of effective corruption risk assessment tools and impactful methodologies, including red-flags for predicting corruption and fraud. Audit offices and the associations of local authorities in SEE also shared their experience and presented their training programs to emphasize the role of the audit as the key pillar of the national integrity system as a critical element in the ecosystem of budgetary control and oversight in the public sector.
The project, coordinated by the Center for the Study of Democracy, Bulgaria benefits from a €1.5 million grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA and Norway Grants Fund for Regional Cooperation. The aim of the project is to implement shared anti-corruption and good governance solutions in SEE through innovative practices and public-private partnerships.
More information:

Event Agenda
Presentations:
Mr. Ioannis Vlassis
Mr. Maksim Acevski
Ms. Margarita Dobrynina

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

Regional Meeting: Regional Anti-corruption and Illicit Finance Roadmap for Western Balkans
2023-10-12 - 2023-10-13
DUBROVNIK, October 12-13, 2023 – The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), in cooperation with RAI Secretariat and with generous support from the UK Government, organized the regional meeting on Regional Anti-corruption and Illicit Finance (ACIF) Roadmap for Western Balkans (WB). This meeting was focused on ACIF Roadmap Goal 3 – Enhancing criminal justice responses to corruption and economic crime through the creation of a regional network of specialized prosecutors, law enforcement and financial intelligence units in the Western Balkans Jurisdictions. The event was an opportunity to look back on the implementation of activities related to Goal 3 since the endorsement of ACIF Roadmap in 2020 by the Western Balkans jurisdictions, present achievements and outline the way forward.
Mr. Koen Marquering, Head of Roadmap Secretariat, in his opening remarks emphasized the importance of ACIF Roadmap as a living document tailored to the priorities of the WB jurisdictions. In the light of Goal 3 of the Roadmap, he praised the active engagement of all parties involved. Joining forces under the umbrella of the Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities (the GlobE Network) who launched the regional component to bolster anti-corruption efforts in the region will entail access to a directory of global contact points, access to a secure communications platform for regional coordination and other forms of informal support, knowledge sharing and training. Finally, Mr. Marquering noted that this event is an opportunity for UNODC and RAI to inquire if the priorities endorsed in 2020 are still valid, or if there are new emerging priorities that would feed into defining targets for the Roadmap in the years to come.
Ms. Desislava Gotskova, Head of RAI Secretariat, in her opening remarks, complimented the excellent cooperation and partnership with UNODC throughout the implementation of ACIF Roadmap that has provided for an opportunity to build and further strengthen regional cooperation and provide support to the Western Balkans jurisdictions. She also noted that strengthening the capacity of national authorities and enhancing regional cooperation in asset recovery is one of RAI key objectives as described in RAI Work Plan 2022-2025. Smooth and speedy information exchange and international cooperation is essential to successfully identify, investigate and prosecute cross-border corruption offences and recover stolen assets. Finally, Ms. Gotskova invited all participants to engage in open discussions and share the progress achieved and potential priorities to be included in the Roadmap for a fast-track implementation of United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) in the future.
The event gathered participants from a wide range of relevant institutions from all Western Balkans jurisdictions who shared the progress related to Goal 3, but also engaged into constructive dialogue about good practices, bad practices and challenges they are facing in their respective institutions. Participants emphasized the importance of gatherings such as this one and praised regional cooperation as an essential element of corruption prevention.
Activities under the Anti-Corruption and Illicit Finance Roadmap are implemented by the UNODC and RAI Secretariat, with financial support of the UK Government.

More information:
Event Agenda
Photo Gallery

Regional Workshop ”Money laundering: Where the Theory meets Practice”
2023-10-17 - 2023-10-19 | Rakitje, Croatia, Rakitje, Croatia (Local Name: Hrvatska)
ZAGREB, 17-19 October 2023 – The Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative Secretariat represented by Nikola Naumovski, Senior Anti-corruption Adviser, participated in a three-day workshop on anti-money laundering “Where Theory Meets Practice”, organized by RACVIAC – Centre for Security Cooperation in partnership with the Regional Anticorruption Initiative (RAI) and the Department for Forensic Sciences of the University of Split.
This joint initiative is

aimed at establishing a regional platform for addressing transformation processes in South East European (SEE) countries in view of governance improvement by implementing and sharing Forensic Science information across state services.
In his opening remarks, RAI Senior Anti-corruption Advisor Nikola Naumovski, emphasized the importance of joint activity: “In this three-day workshop we will have a lot of quite distinguished panels and interesting topics but also case studies and experiences from practice that will be used in money laundering future work.” He also presented the scope of work of his organization.
RACVIAC Director Constantin-Mihail Grigorie, emphasized the need to extend lines of action to other ministries, governmental and non-governmental organizations besides the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Ministries of Defence, and Ministries of Interior, to provide all with a greater amount of professional assistance and opportunities for cooperation.”

The Republic of Moldova signed The International Treaty on Exchange of Data for the Verification of Asset Declarations - Chisinau, Moldova
2023-10-23
Chisinau, October 23, 2023 – The Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative (RAI) Secretariat initiated and coordinated the Republic of Moldova’s signing of the International Treaty on Exchange of Data for the Verification of Asset Declarations, which took place on 23 October 2023 in Chisinau, hosted and organized at the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Moldova.
By this act, the Republic of Moldova has joined the first signatories of the Treaty, Montenegro, the Republic of North Macedonia and the Republic of Serbia demonstrating the essential commitment to the fight against corruption and to strengthening cooperation in the Southeast Europe (SEE) region.
Minister of Justice of the Republic of the Republic Moldova, Ms. Veronica Mihailov-Moraru said that signing this Treaty on behalf of the Republic of Moldova presents great honor. Fighting against corruption is one of the priorities of the Moldovan Government which is committed to providing all the tools and mechanisms to strengthen institutional capacities in preventing and investigating corruption. The signing of this Treaty is one of the useful steps to provide national stakeholders with all the mechanisms to ensure that the highest standards of ethics and integrity are in place. The desire is to create the efficient system to check the asset declarations where it will be possible to check data nationally and regionally. This signature on the Treaty shows Moldova’s commitment to the EU accession process and its willingness to strengthen the regional cooperation ties.
Ms. Laura Stefan, RAI Chairperson, expressed pleasure in having the Republic of Moldova sign the International Treaty on the exchange of data to verify the content of the property records of public officials.
“By the act of signing this agreement, the delegations of the Republic of Moldova as well as previously Montenegro, the Republic of North Macedonia and the Republic of Serbia are providing the essential commitment of their countries in the fight against corruption and strengthening cooperation in the region. The main purpose of the Treaty is the prevention and suppression of corruption through the strengthening of interstate cooperation and enabling the direct administrative exchange of data between the signatories of the Agreement” Ms. Stefan said.
She emphasized that the Treaty in the best way reflects the RAI’s efforts in providing support in the field of prevention and fighting corruption in the SEE region – by building national capacities, supporting the strengthening of legal frameworks, providing training on specific anti-corruption tools, and mainly enhancing and fostering regional cooperation.
Ms. Desislava Gotskova, Head of RAI Secretariat, congratulated Moldova for signing the Treaty. “I hope that this Treaty will soon come into force and new countries will join and thus it will become a widely recognized tool for cooperation in the field of data exchange of asset declarations in the region and beyond” she stated and referred to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) and its Resolution 6/4 from 2015 as the basis of the International Treaty.
She expressed thanks to the Austrian Government, in particular the Austrian Development Agency, that has recognized the importance of the Treaty and continues to support RAI in this endeavor underlining that RAI Secretariat remains fully committed to assisting countries in transposing the Treaty into the national legal order and support the implementation of Treaty provisions.
Ms. Bojana Šćepanović, State Secretary of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Serbia, also congratulated the host country for its decision to join the Treaty. “I proudly emphasize that the Republic of Serbia is the depositary of this important document. Our dedication to the fight against corruption is constant, and it must not end. That’s why we continuously seek for new ways and solutions”, she noted.
The signing ceremony was attended by the representatives of the Ministry of Justice Moldova, the National Integrity Authority of Moldova, the National Anticorruption Center of Moldova, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Moldova, as well as the representatives of RAI member countries from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia and Ukraine in the role of observer country.
The 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.
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41st RAI Steering Group Meeting - Chisinau, Moldova
2023-10-24 - 2023-10-25
Chisinau, October 24-25, 2023 – The 41st Regional Anti-corruption Initiative (RAI) Steering Group meeting was held in Chisinau, Moldova, on October 24 and 25. The meeting was hosted by the National Anticorruption Center of Moldova.
In her opening remarks, Ms. Laura Stefan, RAI Chairperson greeted all participants and thanked the National Anticorruption Center of Moldova for hosting the 41st RAI Steering Group Meeting. She referred to the International Treaty on Exchange of Data for the Verification of Asset Declarations that was signed on October 23 by the Ministry of Justice of Moldova as an excellent tool and opportunity for RAI member countries to improve their capacities and efficiency as regard asset declarations which will enable better cooperation on national and regional level.
In his welcoming speech, the deputy director of CNA, Mr. Vadim Cojocaru, mentioned the importance of the meeting from the perspective of RAI’s efforts in the fight against corruption and the support provided to anti-corruption institutions in strengthening the regulatory framework and tools to counter this phenomenon.
Mr. Cojocaru also noted that “the support offered by RAI is essential in various fields and especially in terms of regional cooperation in the segment of asset declaration, anti-corruption legislative expertise, corruption risk assessment, the field of whistleblowing, asset recovery and other particularly important aspects. In this context, he highlighted the impact of the EU-funded Project “Breaking the Silence: Enhancing the Whistleblower Policies and Culture in the Western Balkans and the Republic of Moldova”, which was the starting point for the revision of the national legislation on the protection of whistleblowers. Mr. Cojocaru pointed out that, on June 22, 2023, the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova adopted in its final reading the new Law on whistleblowers, which transposes the EU Directive on the protection of persons who report violations of Union law”.
Following the opening remarks and Agenda adoption, the meeting participants proceeded with exchange of views with Mr. Lilian Chisca, President of National Integrity Authority of Moldova.
The Steering Group Meeting Agenda included several issues related to the review of main activities of the current year and the presentation of plans for 2024. During the first day, the participants discussed the most important progress and achievements, as well as the budget and and financial outlook for 2024. Day two was dedicated to new RAI Chairperson election procedure.
The 41st Steering Group meeting was attended by all member country representatives (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania and Serbia), as well as the Ukraine in the capacity of observer.
More information:
Agenda
Summary of discussions and conclusions
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

Regional Conference of the Southeast Europe Together Against Corruption: Developing Regional Resilience
2024-02-20 | Hotel Hills, Sarajevo
The Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative (RAI), in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and with the support of the Austrian Development Agency (ADA), organized the Regional Conference titled “Southeast Europe Together Against Corruption: Developing Regional Resilience”. The conference took place in Sarajevo, on February 20th, 2024, to mark the implementation of the 3-year Regional Programme “Southeast Europe – Together Against Corruption” (SEE-TAC).
This conference served as a momentous occasion to celebrate the collective achievements and efforts in combating corruption in Southeast Europe. It provides a platform for reflection on accomplishments, sharing valuable insights, and strategizing for future sustainable anti-corruption activities. Esteemed experts will leverage this opportunity to present their findings and offer insightful recommendations for the next steps in the evolution of the Programme.
The conference has gathered more than 60 participants, including heads of diplomatic missions in Bosnia and Herzegovina from Bulgaria, Greece, Slovenia, Romania, government officials from the SEE region and Ukraine, civil society representatives, private sector and media representatives, and other project stakeholders.
Addressing the participants the Ambassador of the Republic of Austria in BiH, H.E. Dr. Ulrike Hartmann underlined: “We are all aware that success doesn’t come overnight. Also, aware that political will is often lacking to adopt and implement the necessary legislation. But only common and constant efforts will bring the desired results –a society with less corruption, but also tangible progress in the EU integration, which is our common goal”.
Referring to new phase of this Programme, Chief of the Civil Society Unit of UN Office on Drugs and Crime, Ms. Mirella Dummar Frahi said: “Recognizing that corruption and organized crime go hand in hand, the new Programme phase is aiming to break silos and start looking into the nexus between corruption and organized crime integrating a component on UNTOC in its implementation”.
Chairperson of Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative Mr. Dražen Jelenić reconfirmed “RAI commitment to continue contributing with its strong network of public stakeholders to the enhancing of the advocacy efforts and the communication channels for building the regional cooperation in boosting the anti-corruption efforts in the context of the EU- integration process”.
RAI has become the primary regional anti-corruption hub in Southeast Europe over the past two decades. The RAI Secretariat has built a common regional platform for dialogue among governments and civil society, efficiently addressing its activities through tailored-made actions, peer-to-peer learning, exchange of knowledge, modern communication tools, and sharing good practices in a multidisciplinary setting.
More information:
Conference Agenda
