5th Summer School for Junior Magistrates from SEE

May 31 – June 06, 2010 – Durres, Albania

Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative (RAI) Secretariat, in cooperation with the hosting School of Magistrates of Republic of Albania, co-organized the annual Summer School for Junior Magistrates from South – Eastern Europe on May 31 – June 06, 2010, in Durres, Republic of Albania. Launched in 2006 as a forum for exchange of ideas and practices among young judges, prosecutors and investigators, the event was organized for 5th consecutive year and was dedicated to the “International Standards and Cooperation in the Fight against Corruption”.

It consisted of five main training modules:

1. International standards in anti-corruption – the implementation of relevant conventions of United Nations and Council of Europe;
2. Reform of the judiciary and anti-corruption, as challenges of the EU accession process;
3. Asset recovery: proceeds of crime;
4. Anti-corruption policies and preventive measures;
5. EU experience regarding the international judicial cooperation in criminal matters, stressing on the activity of structures like OLAF and EUROJUST.

The Summer School for Junior Magistrates was opened by Mr. Genc Pollo – Minister of Innovation, Information and Communication Technology. The junior magistrates spent one week in academic environment along the Adriatic coast of Durres gaining from the knowledge and experience of honorable lecturers coming from public institutions, international organizations and civil society. The young prosecutors and judges were given the opportunity to exchange ideas and experience on the anti-corruption field, to comment the weak and the strong points of their daily work, thus building bridges between the people in South – Eastern Europe.

The framework of the Summer School included presentations by experts from UNODC, Council of Europe (GRECO), Vienna University of Economics and Business, EULEX mission in Kosovo, EUROJUST, EUROPOL, Tirana’s Prosecution Office and District Court in Durres. During the special outdoor session, the junior magistrates visited the District Court in Durres and held a meeting with its president.

The event was closed with a certificate ceremony lead by Prof. Dr. Mariana Semini-Tutulani – Director of the School of Magistrates of Albania and Mr. Edmond Dunga – Head of RAI Secretariat, following the final evaluation of the attendants in the form of case study.

Additional information:

Agenda

List of participants

Presentations:
Framework for Regional Cooperation and Sharing Best Practices in Fighting Corruption in SEE – Mr. Stanislav Aleksandrov (RAI Secretariat)

Presentation of Stolen Asset Recovery (StAR) Initiative and the possibility for cooperation within the framework of the national judicial systems in SEE – Mr. Erik N. Larson (UNDOC)

Anti-Corruption Standards of the Council of Europe – Ms. Tania van Dijk (GRECO)

The European Union’s Stockholm Program and the South-East European Justice and Home Affairs Strategy / The Role of Magistrates – Mr. Sorin Sterie (Regional Cooperation Council)

Presentation on activities related to asset recovery and corruption + practical cases – Mr. Dritan Rreshka (Joint Investigative Unit, Tirana)

Functioning of the judicial system in Albania with focus on recent changes regarding the EU accession process – Mr. Markelian Koca (District Court of Durres)

Austria’s Anti-corruption Laws and the International Standards in the Fight Against Corruption – Mag. Florian Singer (Institute for Austrian and European Economic Criminal Law, Vienna University of Economics and Business)

Overview of Law Enforcement Framework in the Area of Anti-Corruption and International Cooperation – Dr. Severin Glaser (Institute for Austrian and European Economic Criminal Law, Vienna University of Economics and Business)

Preventive Measures / Best Practices from Public and Private Sector – Mag. Markus Hoecher (Institute for Austrian and European Economic Criminal Law, Vienna University of Economics and Business)

The Camden Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network (CARIN) – Ms. Jill Thomas (Europol)

The Role and Tasks of Eurojust in the Fight against Organized Crime – Ms. Mariana Lilova (Eurojust)

Two different approaches to Joint Investigation Teams / Experience and lessons learned – Ms. Mariana Lilova (Eurojust)

EU experience regarding the international judicial cooperation in criminal matters – Mr. Alberto Perduca (Deputy Chief Prosecutor, Torino)