Prosecution to create anti-corruption body

The Public Prosecutor's Office is due to form an anti-corruption department "early this year." Public Prosecutor media adviser Tomo Zoric told Tanjug in a statement today that the office had so far received about 600 cases containing elements of corruption, including abuse of office, handing out and receiving bribes, and money laundering. Prosecution to create anti-corruption body Zoric explained that first instance anti-corruption departments would be formed at the Belgrade, Novi Sad, Nis and Kragujevac District Prosecutor's Offices, with a second instance department to be established at the Public Prosecutor's Office. He added that the district and republic prosecution departments would be staffed by deputy prosecutors with experience in combating financial crime and corruption. According to Zoric, prosecutors in these departments will attend various forms of training and anti-corruption seminars, and if necessary, will be able to consult Council of Europe and OSCE experts on certain matters. “Experts in the fields of economics and finance are also expected to be involved in the work of these departments, who will work in teams with the prosecutors,” said the spokesman, adding that the aim of such measures was to clamp down on corruption in Serbia. At the end of last year, Public Prosecutor Slobodan Radovanovic announced that the strategic priority for 2008 was the formation of an anti-corruption department. Among other priorities, Radovanovic highlighted cooperation between all state organs in uncovering criminal acts, as well as the enactment of a Law on the Confiscation of Criminally Acquired Property, whereby the burden of proof of the property’s legality would be transferred to the accused. “The formation of anti-corruption departments are one of the Council of Europe’s mandatory conditions for Serbia’s accession to the European Union,” said Zoric.

Prosecution to create anti-corruption body

Zorić explained that first instance anti-corruption departments would be formed at the Belgrade, Novi Sad, Niš and Kragujevac District Prosecutor's Offices, with a second instance department to be established at the Public Prosecutor's Office.

He added that the district and republic prosecution departments would be staffed by deputy prosecutors with experience in combating financial crime and corruption.

According to Zorić, prosecutors in these departments will attend various forms of training and anti-corruption seminars, and if necessary, will be able to consult Council of Europe and OSCE experts on certain matters.

“Experts in the fields of economics and finance are also expected to be involved in the work of these departments, who will work in teams with the prosecutors,” said the spokesman, adding that the aim of such measures was to clamp down on corruption in Serbia.

At the end of last year, Public Prosecutor Slobodan Radovanović announced that the strategic priority for 2008 was the formation of an anti-corruption department.

Among other priorities, Radovanović highlighted cooperation between all state organs in uncovering criminal acts, as well as the enactment of a Law on the Confiscation of Criminally Acquired Property, whereby the burden of proof of the property’s legality would be transferred to the accused.

“The formation of anti-corruption departments are one of the Council of Europe’s mandatory conditions for Serbia’s accession to the European Union,” said Zorić.