Joint OSCE-UNODC regional workshop in South-Eastern Europe promoted fight against organized crime and social re-use of confiscated assets

A two-day workshop on organized crime, asset confiscation and social re-use, organized jointly by the OSCE and UNODC, took place on 15 and 16 December 2020 for beneficiaries in South-Eastern Europe.

More than 100 participants from civil society organizations, academia, youth organizations, law enforcement and asset management agencies from the region and beyond gathered for the event.

“Transnational organized crime represents one of the greatest threats to security, stability and economic growth across the OSCE region, because it systematically exploits institutional, social and economic vulnerabilities, thus creating instability, weakening our state institutions and undermining socio-economic development and prosperity,” said Alena Kupchyna, OSCE Co-ordinator of Activities to Address Transnational Threats.

The discussion aimed at raising participants’ awareness of the security threats posed to societies by organized crime, the benefits of social re-use of assets confiscated in organized crime and corruption cases, and the role that academia and, in particular, youth can play in this context.

The Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities Vuk Žugić stressed in his opening remarks the importance of the social re-use of confiscated assets. “Such practice is the best way to ensure that what has been stolen from societies is given back. This component is a powerful reflection of the effectiveness of national institutions in building prosperous societies based on the rule of law and improving the business climate.”

During the event, participants gained knowledge on organized crime; assets confiscation and social re-use, on how they can contribute to the fight against organized crime and corruption, and learned how to integrate these topics into their work. The event provided an opportunity to promote a common understanding and share experiences and best practices on the social re-use of confiscated assets.

The workshop was organized in the framework of the OSCE project on “Strengthening the fight against transnational organized crime in South-Eastern Europe through improved regional co-operation in assets seizure, confiscation, management and re-use” and the UNODC “Education for Justice Initiative”. The project is funded by the United States Department of State, Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom.