A two-day workshop focused on preventing the influx of illicit funds into the financing of political activities was held in Belgrade for representatives of the Agency for Prevention of Corruption.  The event focused on presentation of indicators for influx of criminal proceeds into financing of political activities, through private donations as well as through unreported donations. The areas of high-risk for occurence of illicit funds were identified, such as third-party campaigning, cash expenditures, online advertising and in-kind donations. On the first day of the event, participants discussed potential regulatory loopholes and identified available sources of information, where indicators could be sought, such as: institutional databases, state audit reports, expenditure reports of political subjects and reports of campaign field monitors. 

During the second day, the participants discussed emerging risks such as the use of cryptocurrencies and cash-based transactions in camapign financing, and outlined strategies for enhancing inter-institutional cooperation in identifying and addressing illicit financial flows. The agenda also featured a practical case study exercise, allowing participants to test the application of indicators in practice.

This initiative is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen institutional capacities and promote transparency and accountability in political financing in Serbia.

The activity has taken place within the Project “Countering Economic Crime in Serbia”, funded by the Swedish International Development Agency, and implemented by the Council of Europe.