On 29-30 September 2022 the Action shared in Podgorica and before the relevant stakeholders in Montenegro, the Council of Europe’s methodology produced by the Economic Crime and Cooperation Division for the assessment of terrorist financing (TF) risks through the NPO sector.

The event, convened in cooperation with the Montenegrin Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), was attended by all relevant public institutions, as well as by representatives of civil society organisations and other stakeholders. The Head of the Financial Intelligence opened the event to present the current state of the NPO sector in Montenegro and its TF risks.

Once the main features of the methodology had been presented to the wider audience, the Action shared in a workshop the details of the risk assessment methodology with the institution that will be undertaking the assessment in Montenegro. An international Council of Europe expert worked with the Montenegrin practitioners on matters such as the use of the questionnaires and matrices for collection of the necessary data, and the use of such information to perform an assessment of threats and vulnerabilities, calculate risks, and to identify risk levels.

The possible unintended consequences of the assessment, as, well as cooperation with NPOs in performing the assessment and for the application of the risk-based approach were also discussed.

The assessment of terrorist financing through the NPO sector in Montenegro follows the regional assessment already produced under the Regional Action and it mirrors similar efforts, in other countries, such as Bulgaria, making use of the Council of Europe ad hoc methodology.

The event was organized within the framework of the EU/Council of Europe Horizontal Facility for Western Balkans and Turkey Phase II – Action against Economic Crime in Montenegro (AEC-MNE).