Implementation
of anti-corruption plans inSouth-eastern Europe
The
PACO-Impact regional project is
implemented by the Council of
Europe, Directorate General of Legal
Affairs, Crime Problems Department.
The
project supported countries of
South-eastern Europe in their
efforts and more specifically in the
implementation of their
anti-corruption plans and
strategies. The project was launched
on 1st of March 2004 and continued
until July 2006. The PACO-Impact
project followed up on the
assessments carried out under the
Stability Pact Anti-corruption
Initiative (SPAI) and GRECO
evaluations/recommendations.
The
project furthermore builded on the
commitments made by countries of
South-eastern Europe and took into
account the anti-corruption measures
identified within the Stabilisation
and Association process. The project
implementation area covered Albania,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,
“the former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia”, Serbia and Montenegro
(including Kosovo).
PACO-Impact
Project has been fully financed by
the Swedish International
Development and Cooperation Agency (Sida)
www.sida.se
Activities
Council of Europe holds Final Conference on PACO Impact project
Strasbourg, 13 July 2006 - The PACO
Impact project - aimed at supporting
the implementation of
anti-corruption plans in
south-eastern Europe - ended with
the closing conference in the
Council of Europe, Strasbourg on
10-11 July 2006.
More than 60 participants from
countries of the region and from
international organisations noted
the progress made since the start of
the project in March 2004. This
includes the adoption of
anti-corruption strategies in all
seven project areas, that is,
Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Kosovo
and “the former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia”. Implementation of these
plans is well underway and
innovative measures are being
carried out, ranging from improved
case management for prosecutors,
integrity plans and public awareness
activities, provision of equipment
for specialised anti-corruption
services and many others.
Representatives from the region
underlined in particular the
progress made in the cooperation
between their countries in
anti-corruption matters, and their
desire to further strengthen such
cooperation. Furthermore, these
countries are now fully
participating in European
anti-corruption mechanisms, in
particular the Group of States
against Corruption, GRECO. The
valuable contribution of PACO Impact
to the follow up to GRECO
recommendations, to the
Stabilisation and Association
Process of the European Union and
accession to the United Nations
Convention against Corruption by
countries of south-eastern Europe
was highlighted.
Final
Conference of PACO Impact – Closure
and Evaluation of the project
10-11 July 2006, Strasbourg (France) Representatives from South-eastern
Europe (SEE) in charge of fighting
corruption and leading
anti-corruption reforms from seven
project areas in SEE met in
Strasbourg at the Council of Europe
from 10 – 11 July 2006 for the Final
Conference of the regional PACO
Impact project. In addition,
representatives from various
international organisations, the
Swedish Development International
and Cooperation Agency (Sida) -
donor of the project, independent
evaluators and Council of Europe
experts participated.
Regional
Thematic Seminar: Strengthening Anti-corruption Prosecutorial Services
in SEE (in co-operation with the Internal Investigation Department of
Hamburg)
20-21 April 2006, Hamburg (Germany)
The
event co-organised with the
Department of Internal
Investigations at the Ministry of
Interior of Hamburg, Germany brings
together the main actors involved in
investigation and prosecution of
economic crime and corruption in
Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro
(including Kosovo) and "the former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia". Its
purpose is to provide
anti-corruption services within the
Prosecutors Offices and Specialised
Units within the Ministry of
Interiors with guidelines and
recommendations on
modalities/regulations of
interaction, strengthening
capacities and networking among
those law enforcement agencies
(nationally and regionally).
Regional Thematic Seminar: Anti-corruption services and conflict of interest laws (in co-operation with OECD)
18-19 November 2005, Belgrade (Serbia and Montenegro)
The event brings together the main actors involved in
anti-corruption and prevention of conflict-of-interest measures in
Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro
(including Kosovo), Moldova, "the former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia", and Romania. Its purpose is to provide guidelines and tools
for further strengthening of the role of anti-corruption services and of
conflict-of-interest laws in preventing corruption domestically and
regionally.
Regional Thematic Seminar: Application of Treaty Law
- CoE and UN Conventions against Corruption
10-11 June 2005, Durrës (Albania)
The
event brings together the main
actors involved in anti-corruption
measures in Albania, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia and
Montenegro (including Kosovo),
Moldova, "the former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia", and Romania.
Its purpose is to provide guidelines
and tools for applying treaty law
into domestic legislation when aimed
at preventing and combating
corruption into domestic
legislation.
Regional Thematic Seminar and High Level meeting: Strengthening Anti-corruption Services in South Eastern Europe
31 March-1 April 2005, Skopje (the former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia) Ministers and other high-level
representatives of countries of
south-eastern Europe, on 1 April in
Skopje, adopted a declaration
expressing their support to the
implementation of anti-corruption
strategies and the strengthening of
anti-corruption services. The
declaration as well as detailed
recommendations are the results of
the regional event organised by the
Council of Europe in cooperation
with the authorities of “the former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”
within the framework of the PACO
Impact project.