South-East Europe countries two-day anti-money laundering meeting in Budva, Montenegro

Budva, Montenegro, 05-Dec-2016 — /EuropaWire/ — The OSCE Mission to Montenegro facilitated a two-day meeting of the heads of Financial Intelligence Units (FIU) of the six South-East Europe countries, hosted by the Montenegrin FIU on 1 and 2 December 2016 in Budva.

The event was an opportunity for senior representatives of the anti-money laundering authorities (AML) of Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia and Montenegro to share their experience and explore the possibilities for improving co-operation.

Opening the event, Vesko Lekic, Director of the Montenegrin Government’s Administration for the Prevention of Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing, emphasized the importance of direct contacts among the AML authorities, thanking the OSCE for its continued support. “We will discuss the connection between corruption and money laundering, working with politically exposed persons, and the detection of terrorism financing.” .

Lekic also stressed the importance of the exchange of experience related to the implementation of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) recommendations, national money-laundering risk assessment, and the Moneyval evaluation process.

Lia Magnaguagno, OSCE Mission to Montenegro Democratization Programme Manager,, , confirmed the OSCE’s commitment to the development of regional co-operation.“Itsts importance is even greater in efforts to prevent and suppress illegal phenomena such as money laundering and financing of terrorism, that by nature hide behind national borders.” as

SOURCE: OSCE

Contacts
Iva Scepanovic
Senior Press and Public Information Assistant
Head of Mission Office
OSCE Mission to Montenegro
Svetlane Kane Radevic Street 3
81000 Podgorica
Montenegro
Phone: (+382) (0)20 406 432
Mobile: (+382) (0)67 626 046
Iva.Scepanovic@osce.org