PODGORICA, December 20 (FENA) - The United States Government will appoint a Resident Legal Advisor (RLA) to work to increase capacity for investigations, prosecutions and trials in corruption and organized crime cases. throughout the Western Balkans, including Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, North Macedonia, Serbia and Kosovo.
The advisor will operate from Zagreb, and the assistance will be focused mainly on public procurement fraud, corruption, money laundering, organized crime, gender-based violence and human trafficking, Radio Television of Montenegro (RTCG) reports.
The Resident Legal Adviser will be appointed for a term of 14 months, from or about April 2022, with the possibility of extension, depending on the availability of funds.
As it is pointed out, the RLA will be assigned to the US Embassy in Zagreb and will work in close partnership with the Croatian Ministry of Justice.
"The RLA will represent the Ministry of Justice and the mission of the Criminal Division's Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) in conducting technical assistance activities funded by the State Department Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement to increase capacity to investigate and prosecute cases involving corruption and organized crime across the Western Balkans," it is stated in the vacancy announcement published by the US Ministry of Justice.
The assistance will focus, but is not limited to, on procurement fraud, corruption, money laundering, organized crime, FinTech, gender-based violence and human trafficking.
This will include technical assistance, mentoring and advice on investigation, prosecution and decision-making in cases.
It will also include analysis and advice on existing or pending laws. The RLA will coordinate and work closely with other advisers assigned to various Balkan countries. In addition, the RLA will work closely with staff from US embassies in various Balkan countries.
(FENA) S. R.