Social re-use of confiscated assets from organized crime focus of OSCE-supported workshop in Serbia

On 5 May 2021, the Serbian Directorate for the Administration of Seized Assets, eight local civil society organizations (CSOs) and OSCE experts discussed opportunities and modalities to socially re-use assets confiscated from organized crime.

The current legislative framework in Serbia allows confiscated and seized assets to be re-used for social purposes, however, only a few CSOs  have put this practice into use. To further raise awareness on the positive impact of social re-use among CSOs, practices from Serbia as well as international ones were presented during the workshop.

 “This project contributes to addressing transnational organized crime while enhancing regional co-operation in asset seizure, confiscation, management and re-use of assets, and reaffirms the Mission’s support in its implementation,” said Sarah Groen, Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia.

Participants had the chance to directly communicate with Directorate representatives and explore  the procedure of submitting requests to re-use assets for social purposes.

Illicit activities of organized crime groups affect our societies and economies while presenting a serious threat to security and stability in the region. The practice through which confiscated assets are made available to communities not only allows the involvement of civil society in the fight against organized crime but  also increases  trust in  institutions and the rule of law.

The social re-use of confiscated assets in Serbia is supported by the Transnational Threats Department and the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities regional project on asset recovery in South-Eastern Europe.

The United States of America, Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom financially support this cross-dimensional project.