News and press releases

From 6 to 9 August, the OSCE held a workshop at the National Bank of Georgia (NBG) in Tbilisi to enhance the bank’s regulatory framework for Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs), improve customer risk assessment procedures and implement robust preventive measures within the virtual assets sector.

To bolster Moldova's capabilities in the area of management of seized and confiscated virtual assets, the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) hosted a dedicated workshop in Chisinau on July 22 and 23. This event gathered 30 participants from various law enforcement and regulatory agencies to improve their skills in managing and processing virtual assets that have been seized or confiscated.

Effective management of seized and confiscated virtual assets is critical to addressing the risks posed by cryptocurrencies, including money laundering, terrorist financing, and fraud. To enhance Armenia’s capabilities in this area, the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) conducted a specialized training session in Yerevan on 18 and 19 July. The event brought together 22 representatives from law enforcement and regulatory bodies to improve their knowledge and skills in managing seized and confiscated virtual assets.

Effective management of seized and confiscated virtual assets is critical to combating the risks associated with cryptocurrencies, such as money laundering, terrorist financing, and fraud. With the aim to bolster Georgia’s capacities in this area, the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) organized a specialized training session in Tbilisi from 15-16 July. The session brought together 20 representatives from law enforcement and supervisory bodies to enhance their expertise in handling and managing seized and confiscated virtual assets.

Within the framework of the pilot initiative “Fire Resilient Protected Areas: Shar/Šara Mountains and Korab Massif Area”, the OSCE has donated fire suppression equipment to five park management authorities in the four protected areas of Korab-Koritnik, Mavrovo, Shar Mountain and Sharri/Šara during the period April-June 2024. The donation is part of OSCE initiatives to strengthen regional co-operation in tackling wildfire risks in the shared hotspot Shar/Šara Mountains and Korab Massif Area where forest fires were identified as one of the main climate-related security threats.

On 4 and 5 July, the OSCE facilitated a training course to enhance the knowledge and skills of criminal justice practitioners from Moldova on investigative techniques in corruption cases. The training course was jointly delivered by practitioners from Guardia di Finanza – Italy’s economic and financial police, the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office of Moldova, and the Romanian National Anti-Corruption Directorate, allowing participants to learn about different models, legal bases and mechanisms in investigating corruption. Special focus was put on Guardia di Finanza’s “follow-the-money” approach, which traces the movement of funds to determine the source and destination of potentially illicit funds.

Over 40 representatives from the Seized Property Management Agency (FAZUOI) and the Judicial Police in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina met to discuss the challenges in executing court decisions and orders regarding the benefits of property confiscation.