The “Workshop on Strengthening Regional Cooperation in Asset Recovery by Creating a Regional Network of Practitioners and Building a Platform for Exchange of Information, Experience and Good Practices” was held on December 02-04, 2009 in Sofia, Bulgaria. The event was co-organized by the joint Stolen Asset Recovery (StAR) Initiative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the World Bank, UNODC Regional Programme Office for South-Eastern Europe (RPOSEE) and the Regional Anti-corruption Initiative (RAI) Secretariat.

It was also supported by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF). The Regional Conference was hosted by the Government of Bulgaria.

The Conference served as a forum for participants to exchange experience and address ways and means to coordinate policies and enhance cooperation, create or improve open channels for communication and prioritize technical assistance in the region. It included discussions on lessons learned, possible measures to make legislation on asset recovery more efficient, experience in the region with regard to mutual legal assistance requests and policy priorities for the lowering of barriers to asset recovery.

Among the main findings following the workshop was the lack of trust between the asset recovery bodies in SEE and the need for special trainings for the practitioners, who worked in those institutions.

Responding to the specific requirements of SEE countries UNODC and RAI Secretariat launched the idea to create a regional platform for building trust and trainings in the area of asset recovery, which is supposed to be established in 2010.

RAI Secretariat was represented at the Conference by Mr. Edmond Dunga and Mr. Stanislav Aleksandrov, who took leading role in the panel dedicated to the process of networking in the area of asset recovery in SEE.

Please, have a look at the attached agenda and list of participants of the event, as well as the presentations delivered at the Workshop.

Stolen Asset Recovery – Mr. Stuart C. Gilman

A Practical Guide to Using Financial Disclosure – Mr. Stuart C. Gilman

Results of the Third Session of the Conference of States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption – Mr. Erik Larson

The Camden Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network – Mr. Evert van der Steeg

Asset Recovery in Bosnia and Herzegovina – Practical Observations – Mr. Heikki Wendorf

Presentation of Mr. Aleksandar Milojevic – Financial Investigations Unit, Service for Combating Organized Crime, Ministry of Interior, Serbia

Presentation of Mr. Aleksandar Milojevic – Example of Financial Investigation -_Financial Investigations Unit, Service for Combating Organized Crime, Ministry of Interior, Serbia

Measures on Confiscation of Crime Assets in Albania – Mr. Bledar Celiku

Seizure and Confiscation of Proceeds of Crime – Ms. Tamara Vitlarova, Macedonia

Confiscated Assets in Kosovo – Legal Framework – Mr. Yordan Sirakov

Asset Recovery – Presentation of Mr. Veselin Vuckovic, Deputy Supreme State Prosecutor of Montenegro

Presentation of Mr. Martin Kreutner – Director of Federal Bureau for Internal Affairs – Austria

Cooperation for Non-Conviction Based Confiscation between DNA and ANDI – Ms. Violeta Sechely, National Anti-Corruption Directorate – Romania

Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative – Mr. Felix Branisante, National Integrity Agency – Romania

Non-Conviction Based Forfeiture A Good Practices Guide – Mr. Theodore S. Greenberg

Politically Exposed Persons – Strengthening Preventive Measures – Mr. Theodore S. Greenberg

The Bulgarian Experience in Establishing a Specialized Asset Recovery Agency – Prof. Stoian Kushlev

Cooperation in Anti-Corruption Efforts and Characteristics of Successful Asset Recovery Network for SEE – Mr. Edmond Dunga

The Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative – Framework for Regional Cooperation and Sharing Best Practices in Fighting Corruption in SEE – Mr. Stanislav Aleksandrov