Doprinos UNODC-a neprocjenjivo je važan za jačanje kapaciteta institucija u Bosni i Hercegovini i šire, te za promicanje vladavine prava i borbe protiv korupcije. Nadam se da će vaša podrška i dalje biti ključna u ostvarivanju održivih rezultata u ovom važnom području.
Vijest preuzeta sa: https://www.unodc.org/
Bihac / Tuzla, 16 and 19 May 2025 – Global reports often paint a bleak picture: corruption and organized crime remain widespread and drain resources that should be used to improve people’s lives. While this is true, what is equally true is that there are dedicated institutions and professionals who are making a difference to ensure that crime does not pay.
Going after the money that criminals make is one of the best ways to fight corruption and organized crime. In the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has recently facilitated a new approach to return more stolen taxpayers’ money.
In April this year, UNODC successfully supported the development and signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the FBiH Asset Management Agency and the Prosecutor's Office in Sarajevo Canton. Based on this model, the FBiH Asset Management Agency is currently developing a cooperation network with prosecutors throughout the Federation of BiH. In May, the Agency signed additional memorandums with the Prosecutor's Offices of the Una-Sana and Tuzla Cantons.
UNODC is supporting the new MOUs and related asset recovery efforts through the project “Strengthening the capacity and coordination of judiciary and law enforcement authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina to effectively address corruption and organized crime”, implemented with financial support from the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS).
The agreements establish standard procedures for cooperation between the two institutions in corruption and organized crime cases, including during financial investigations and court proceedings, when Agency staff can act as expert witnesses. Designated focal points in both institutions will facilitate more efficient communication and faster response in urgent cases, to ensure temporary and permanent asset seizure, and the transfer and management of confiscated assets.
In this manner, the MOUs contributes to the implementation of European Union Directive 2024/1260 on asset recovery and confiscation, which requires appropriate planning and coordination to minimize management costs and preserve the value of seized property.
In recent years, the FBiH Asset Management Agency has recorded a continuous increase in the number of cases handled and the volume of managed assets, reaching over 26 million Euro since the establishment of the Agency in 2015. Out of this amount, approximately 10 million Euro were confiscated during the past two years.
Given that the MOUs provide for capacity development of competent institutions through education, joint training and operational coordination, UNODC plans to further support these processes within the framework of this initiative, which is part of UNODC’s broader efforts to promote the effective implementation of international standards in combating organized crime and corruption under the UNODC Regional Programme for South-Eastern Europe.
