OSCE organizes second workshop on social re-use of confiscated assets in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The OSCE organized a second workshop on social re-use of confiscated assets in Bosnia and Herzegovina on 29 June 2021.  Representatives of asset management agencies and civil society organizations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as experts on social re-use of confiscated assets from international civil society organizations participated in the workshop.

The practice of re-using assets confiscated from organized criminal groups for social, rehabilitation or cultural purposes is gaining increasing attention in many OSCE participating States. Enabling communities that have suffered from the presence of criminal groups to re-use the confiscated assets contributes in increasing citizens’ trust in public institutions and the rule of law. 

Nevertheless, often raising the awareness of the civil society organization on the importance of social re-use remains a key element. In line with that, participants at the workshop had the opportunity to learn from internationally active civil society organizations how the confiscated assets can be re-used, and why the pro-active approach of civil society organizations is crucial.

Representatives of civil society organizations and asset management agencies discussed also the main challenges they are facing, while identifying potential areas of improvement necessary to allow an enhanced process of social re-use of confiscated assets.

This series of workshops on social re-use of confiscated assets in South-Eastern Europe is organized within the project “Strengthening the fight against transnational organized crime in South-Eastern Europe through improved regional co-operation in asset seizure, confiscation, management and re-use”. The OSCE Transnational Threats Department and the Office of the Co-ordinator of the OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities are jointly implementing the project with the financial support from the United States, Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom.