Financial Crime World

Parliament Urged to Strengthen Anti-Corruption Efforts

In an effort to bolster the fight against corruption, parliament is being called upon to make significant amendments to the criminal code and other relevant legislation. The proposed changes aim to strengthen the powers of anti-corruption agencies and ensure that those responsible for embezzlement are held accountable.

Proposed Reforms

  • Increased Penalties: Leadership figures from political parties, international funds, and public funds would be added to the list of individuals subject to increased penalties for corruption-related offenses. State-owned enterprises, corporations with majority state capital, and commercial banks would also be included in this list.
  • Threshold Increase: The threshold for corruption-related crimes committed by high-ranking officials and other special subjects would be increased from EUR 20,000 to EUR 200,000, ensuring that individuals who engage in large-scale corruption are held accountable.
  • Anti-Corruption Agency Autonomy: Parliament is being urged to exclude supervision of criminal investigations conducted by anti-corruption agencies (NAC) from the mandate of the Agency for Prevention of Corruption (APO). Instead, prosecutors from territorial offices would be responsible for supervising these investigations. APO would also be provided with greater autonomy and resources.
  • Public Prosecutor General Oversight: The Public Prosecutor General (PGO) would carry out oversight of specialized prosecution offices only through the chief prosecutors of these institutions, rather than having authority to remove case files or assign cases outside of their mandate.

Recommendations

  1. Amend Article 2701 para. (1) p. 1 of the CPC to include leadership figures from political parties, international funds, and public funds among those subject to increased penalties for corruption-related offenses.
  2. Increase the threshold for corruption-related crimes committed by high-ranking officials and other special subjects from EUR 20,000 to EUR 200,000.
  3. Exclude supervision of criminal investigations conducted by NAC from APO’s mandate and instead have prosecutors from territorial offices supervise these investigations.
  4. Provide APO with greater autonomy and resources, including the authority to employ specialists, interpreters, translators, and other staff as needed.
  5. Ensure that PGO carries out oversight of specialized prosecution offices only through the chief prosecutors of these institutions.
  6. Amend the Law on Specialized Prosecution Offices to allow the heads of specialized prosecution offices to select their own teams of prosecutors.
  7. Provide adequate attractive remuneration for APO prosecutors and other staff and put in place proper incentives.
  8. Ensure that budget and staffing table of APO allow for the establishment of departments for special investigation measures, intelligence analysis, communications, human resources, finance, and budget.

Timeline

  • Amendments to Article 2701 para. (1) p. 1 of the CPC: 3 months
  • Increase in threshold for corruption-related crimes: 3 months
  • Exclusion of supervision of criminal investigations conducted by NAC from APO’s mandate: 3 months
  • Provision of autonomy and resources to APO: 3 months
  • Amendment to Law on Specialized Prosecution Offices: 3 months
  • Provision of adequate remuneration for APO prosecutors and other staff: 18 months