Federal Agency for Management of Confiscated Property Establishes Cooperation with Italian Agency

The Federal Agency for Management of Confiscated Property, through international cooperation with related institutions outside Bosnia and Herzegovina, seeks to strengthen its own capacities and adopt relevant standards concerning the management of all forms of tangible and intangible (financial) assets, real estate and movable property subject to seizure by competent courts in criminal proceedings, the agency announced, as reported by the Patria news agency.  

In the period from 18 to 22 January 2016, a study visit was organized for representatives of the Agency and other professionals from the judiciary and law enforcement agencies to the Republic of Italy. On that occasion, concrete and very substantive cooperation was established with the National Agency for the Administration and Destination of Assets Seized and Confiscated from Organized Crime (ANBSC - L'Agenzia Nazionale per l'amministrazione e la destinazione dei beni sequestrati e confiscati alla criminalità organizzata).

This study visit was organized through the project "Strengthening Local Capacities in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Fight against Corruption and Serious Forms of Crime through Confiscation of Proceeds of Crime", which is funded by the Government of the United Kingdom and implemented by the association Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD).

Incidentally, the project implements important activities for the establishment and strengthening of the Agency's capacities, including the exchange of experiences with partner institutions in the European Union. The study visit was realized through the embassies of the United Kingdom and Italy in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is yet another example of support for the Agency's work and the assistance these countries provide to BiH. During the study visit, participants had the opportunity to attend presentations by representatives of the judicial and law enforcement institutions of the Republic of Italy responsible for the fight against organized crime, with particular emphasis placed on the importance of effective confiscation of proceeds of crime for the successful fight against all forms of corruption and organized crime.

In the coming period, the Agency will organize a return visit by representatives of ANBSC with the aim of improving the established cooperation and establishing a long-term partnership, as it is one of the most efficient institutions for managing confiscated property in the entire European Union, whose experiences can significantly help build the capacity of the federal Agency.

At the end of the study visit, the delegation from Bosnia and Herzegovina was received by Željana Zovko, Ambassador of BiH to the Republic of Italy, to whom impressions from this expert meeting were conveyed, according to the statement signed by the Agency Director Kenan Kapo.