ARBI takes over the chairmanship of the Balkan Crime Asset Management Network
The National Anti-Corruption Centre's Criminal Assets Recovery Agency takes over the chairmanship of the Balkan Network of Asset Management Agencies for the management of seized criminal assets.
According to the NAC, this is the first time that a country outside the Balkan area with observer-member status has taken over the chairmanship of this international structure. At present, the network known as BAMIN has 8 permanent members from the Western Balkans region and 6 observer members and associates from countries such as the Republic of Moldova, Romania, Ukraine, Belgium, United Kingdom and Ireland.
BAMIN is an informal network of practitioners working operationally with asset management offices and agencies or within departments mandated to deal with the management and disposal/storage of criminal assets within their jurisdiction. The network aims to increase the efficiency of the management and sale of criminal assets. The main objective of BAMIN members is to improve cross-border and inter-agency cooperation and to speed up the exchange of information.
The NAC's Criminal Asset Recovery Agency is responsible for the parallel financial investigation, seizure and subsequent management of illegally obtained assets. Whether these assets are subsequently to be confiscated is decided by the court.
According to NAC reports, during 2022, ARBI took into account 645 seized assets with a total value of over 790 million lei. In 2021, the NAC's ARBI seized 865 assets worth a total of 736 million lei, and in 2020, the agency seized assets worth more than 1.5 billion lei.
