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UNDP is pleased to announce the launch of the third phase of the Support to Anti-Corruption Efforts Project (SAEK III) 2020-2024, funded by the Governments of Switzerland (SDC) and Sweden (SIDA).
The previous phases of SAEK I (2012-2016) and SAEK II (2016-2020) provided Kosovo’s institutions with legislative and policy drafting support on corruption prevention, sentencing guidelines for courts for corruption cases, public officials’ assets and income declarations, political party financing, and anti-money laundering. Increased capacities of the Anti-corruption Agency resulted in 89 convictions, while the kallxo.com platform for reporting corruption has resulted in over 50 arrests and indictments against senior public officials. The project certified more than 40 fraud examiners within its investigative bodies working on complex corruption and financial crime cases.
To date, SAEK has provided Kosovo with a vast array of e-tools for anti-corruption, including an online senior public officials’ assets and income declaration system; a case management system for preliminary corruption investigations; an online tool for the prosecution for investigating tax and customs financial records of targets of corruption and financial crime; Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) and assets recovery databases to track personal and corporate assets – just to name a few.
SAEK’s efforts have resulted in Kosovo now having its own in-house expertise on investigating financial crime, the regular use of specially designed anti-corruption e-tools, and strong inter-agency cooperation – all of which are the foundation for an effective anti-corruption system. Building upon these results, SAEK III aims to further strengthen transparency and accountability while focusing on the recovery of hidden stolen assets.
At the virtual signing ceremony, UNDP Resident Representative Maria Suokko stated that “Concerted efforts in fighting corruption are particularly important in this time of the global COVID-19 pandemic when authorities are confronted with a crisis which is not just a health crisis – it is a complex development crisis affecting all areas of life, and ultimately, a governance crisis. Now, more than ever, it is paramount that public funds are used efficiently and transparently for those most in need.”
The Ambassador of Switzerland, H.E. Jean-Hubert Lebet and the Ambassador of Sweden, H.E. Karin Hernmarck Ahliny in their joint statement added that “We are convinced that the citizens of Kosovo deserve a better future, where no one is above the law. This is why we want to further help key institutions in Kosovo in their fight against corruption, and the recovery of stolen assets. The key instruments are in place, but after years of promises, the lack of political support continues to obstruct efforts to fight corruption. We expect stronger determination and more tangible results.”
UNDP SAEK stands together with our partners whose job it is to uncover and prosecute those who attempt to misuse public funds for personal gain and, most importantly, recover and return stolen assets to the public budget where they can be used for the public good.
UNDP wholeheartedly thanks the governments of Switzerland and Sweden, SDC and SIDA, for their faith and support in our work. Together we will continue to help improve the lives of citizens through transparent and accountable governance and the assurance that corruption will not be tolerated in this moment of crisis or ever.
For more information, please contact:
Burbuqe Dobranja, UNDP Communications Associate
Phone: (038) 249 066 ext. 410; mobile: 049 720 800 e-mail: burbuqe.dobranja@undp.org
Danijela Mitić, Communication Associate UNDP
Phone: (038) 249 066 ext. 412; mobile: 049 720 824 e-mail: danijela.mitic@undp.org
