26.05.2025.
As part of the implementation of the project Combating Economic Crime in Serbia, funded by Sweden and represented by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, and implemented by the Council of Europe, a workshop was held on 22–23 May 2025 for Agency employees. At the workshop, the draft technical document “Strengthening Control over Political Party Financing / Indicators for Detecting Illicit Financing”, prepared by Council of Europe expert Barbara Johuan Stonestreet, was presented.
During the opening remarks, Verka Atanasković, Deputy Director, spoke on behalf of the Agency, emphasizing the importance of this project and expressing gratitude to the expert for preparing the document. She also highlighted the long-standing and successful cooperation between the Agency and the Council of Europe.
Following the introductory segment, the Council of Europe expert presented the document to the attendees, which served as the basis for a dynamic and substantive discussion on topics such as the regulatory framework for political financing oversight, the role of campaign observers, and the identification of new sources of information. The discussion also included indicators for detecting illicit financing, the role of cryptocurrencies, and unregulated campaign financing practices.
In addition, the workshop featured an overview of best practices for detecting political financing from illegal sources, as well as discussions on inter-institutional cooperation and risk mitigation measures.
