On 5 July, the Cabinet of Ministers took note of the information report prepared by the Ministry of the Interior on strengthening the capacity to investigate economic crime. The purpose of the report is to inform about the development measures and investments planned for the establishment of an AML (anti-money laundering) Innovation Centre to combat money laundering and strengthen the capacity to investigate economic crime. The investments are planned to be financed by the EU Recovery Fund.
The total financing of the AML Innovation Centre of EUR 1 474 010 is planned to be covered by the European Union Recovery Fund. In addition, the EU Recovery Fund will cover EUR 1 050 000 to strengthen the capacity to investigate economic crime.
One of the objectives of the reforms under the Recovery Fund in the area of rule of law is to strengthen the capacity to identify money laundering, terrorism or proliferation, to promote the rule of law and to strengthen the identification or detection of money laundering, fraud, financial and economic crime and the effectiveness of the judiciary. The involvement and professionalism of specialised investigators in the investigation and prosecution of economic crime will also be strengthened.
In order to achieve the objectives of the reform, the establishment and equipping of an AML Innovation Centre, the procurement of information technology for knowledge sharing and information protection, data and hypothesis analysis are planned. In addition, a new suspicious transaction reporting system, in line with international practice, was introduced, which will ensure not only data integrity, security and confidentiality, but also that the processes of the Financial Intelligence Service, the leading authority in the fight against money laundering, are in line with international standards.
In order to strengthen the capacity of the State Police, the Recovery Fund will be used to purchase the necessary technical equipment for investigators to carry out procedural activities, as well as technical equipment adapted to mobile and remote working conditions, including for regional structural units. Training will also be provided in the field of economic and environmental crime. In addition, a progress report on the implementation of the State Police Development Recommendations will be prepared with an implementation progress plan approved by the State Police, which will ensure the long-term efficiency of the investigation of proceeds of crime, increasing by 40% the proportion of criminal proceedings referred for prosecution and the proportion of environmental crime criminal proceedings detected already by the beginning of 2025.
These investments will also ensure the implementation of the recommendations of the European Commission and Moneyval, as well as the streamlining and quality strengthening of internal processes aimed at eliminating duplication of functions, simplifying internal processes and improving the quality of pre-trial investigations.