Partners NewsGood Practices and Methods in Investigating and Preventing Corruption at European Level
Motto: ' Nothing is more dangerous for the conscience of a nation than the view of corruption and of underserved rewards […] This view hinders the peoples's trust in the value of hard work and meritocracy' (Mihai Eminescu, 1850 – 1889, Romanian poet, novelist and journalist)
CEPOL course 32/2017 “Investigating and preventing corruption” was organised by the Romanian Ministry of Home Affairs, Directorate General of Human Resources Management, between 16-19 May 2017.
Held at Ambasador Hotel in Bucharest, the course attracted 26 participants from 20 Member States (Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovakia, Spain,), Switzerland and Turkey, with experts from OLAF, AFCOS Romania, Lithuania, Belgium, Poland, Transparency International Romania, Romanian Ministry of Internal Affairs (Anticorruption Directorate General - ADG and Police Academy 'Alexandru Ioan Cuza'), National Agency for Fiscal Administration and National Anticorruption Directorate.
At the official opening of the course, Mrs. Mădălina Argeșanu, director of Prevention Directorate welcomed the representatives of the Members States, Switzerland and Turkey and underlined that Romania is leading a continuous fight to decrease the level of corruption. It is essential to consolidate the legal framework in order to have the proper tools in fighting against corruption. ADG’s current activity imposes cooperation with similar structures, especially from the neighboring countries, both EU and non EU Member States. Successful bilateral cooperation has a positive influence and improves the integrity environment at regional level.
During the course, participants learnt about the following topics:
- Social research of corruption and the use of corruption risk assessment as tools for analysing corruption root causes and preventing the corruption phenomenon ( Mr. Mihai Bârlici from Anticorruption Directorate General) ;
- Good practices and methods in preventing corruption within the Ministry of Internal Affairs (Mr. Gherghe Florentin Titov from Anticorruption Directorate General );
- Crime and intelligence analysis in anticorruption investigations (Mr. Valentin-Claudiu Constantin from National Agency for Fiscal Administration );
- Intelligence in fighting corrruption - use and development (Mr. Răzvan Chiriloaie from Anticorruption Directorate General );
- An introduction to sport corruption - European initiatives (Mr. Guy Goudesone from Belgium );
- ADG general presentation (Mrs. Mădălina Argeșanu from Anticorruption Directorate General );
- Special methods in investigating corruption crimes (Mr. Vlad Miron from Anticorruption Directorate General );
- Professional integrity testing - a tool in corruption prevention (Mr. Adrian BĂLU from Anticorruption Directorate General );
- Cooperation for building integrity at EU level (Ms. Dana Ciobanu, Ms. Dana Chesnoiu from Anticorruption Directorate General );
- Cooperation with foreign anti-corruption agencies and NGO's in project implementation (Mrs. Otilia Filip from Anticorruption Directorate General );
- EU antifraud policy and fraud risk indicators ( Mr. Pal Madarassy from OLAF);
- Protection of EU funds in Romania - case study ( Mr. Gabriel Turcu from AFCOS Romania);
- Lithuanian police good experience (Lithuanian practice/Case studies/Initiatives in EU ( Mr. Elanas Jablonskas from Lithuania);
- Good practice in preventing corruption as one of the crucial activities of the Bureau of Internal Investigations, NPHQs ( Mr. JERZY ŚWIĄTEK from Poland );
- Overview on Transparency International Romania ( Mr. Victor Alistar from TIA);
- Workshop on investigating and preventing corruption (prof. dr. Laurențiu Giurea from Police Academy 'Alexandru Ioan Cuza').
During the four days training activity the participants had the possibility to exchange their experience and knowledge in the field of the continuous fight against corruption.
Participants also paid a visit to the Anticorruption Directorate General, where they were welcomed by the deputy general directors Mr. Constantin PREOTEASA and Mr. Octavian MELINTESCU, who strengthened the important role of the institution at the national level.
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When speaking about corruption, the engaged experts underlined the necessity of integrity test, being defined as a method to identify, evaluate and warn about the risks and vulnerabilities that lead the personnel to commit corruption deeds. The Romanian expert noted that at the national level, the integrity test is an administrative tool- which does not require the prosecutor’s approval. By using them, they try to develop or to adjust psychological tests to measure risks of corruption and ethical violations, behaviour assessment, scientific methods to identify risk areas and how to strengthen the capacity to resist corruption and ethical violations.
According to the participants' and experts' opinions, the activity held in Bucharest was a successful one and there should be organized more similar ones at EU level in order to create a solid legal framework in the field and also to share best practices.
