US Sending Anti-Corruption Expert to the Balkans

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The United States government will appoint a resident legal advisor to enhance capacities for investigations, prosecutions, and trials in cases of corruption and organized crime throughout the Western Balkans, including Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Kosovo.

The advisor will be based in Zagreb, and the assistance will focus primarily on public procurement fraud, corruption, money laundering, organized crime, gender-based violence, and human trafficking.

The application deadline was December 13, and the resident legal advisor will serve a 14-month term, starting on or around April 2022, with the possibility of extension, depending on funding availability.

As stated, the resident legal advisor will be assigned to the US Embassy in Zagreb and will work in close partnership with the Croatian Ministry of Justice.

- The resident legal advisor will represent the Department of Justice and OPDAT in implementing technical assistance activities funded by the State Department's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs to enhance capacities for investigation, prosecution, and trial in cases involving corruption and organized crime throughout the Western Balkans. Specifically including Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Serbia. This is a regional program – the public announcement reads.

Assistance will focus on procurement fraud, corruption, money laundering, organized crime, FinTech, gender-based violence, and human trafficking.

- This will include technical assistance, mentoring, and advice on investigation, prosecution, and adjudication of cases. It will also include analysis and advice on existing or pending legislation. The resident legal advisor will coordinate and work closely with other advisors assigned to various Balkan countries. In addition, the resident legal advisor will work closely with staff at US embassies in various Balkan countries – the announcement reads.

It is clarified that the mission of the Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) is to develop and administer technical and development assistance designed to enhance the capabilities of justice sector institutions and their law enforcement personnel.

This assistance is provided to enable these institutions and their personnel to more effectively combat terrorism, transnational organized crime, corruption, financial crime, and other types of crime.