UNMIK/PR/781
PRISTINA - SRSG Michael Steiner announced today that 10 investigators from Italy’s Guardia di Finanza will join UNMIK in the fight against financial crime and corruption in Kosovo.
During his meeting today with the Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs of Italy, Senator Roberto Antonione, and referring to the announcement made yesterday by Italy’s Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Economy, Manlio Contento, the SRSG confirmed that the 10 investigators will arrive as soon as possible, at the request of UNMIK, to join the new Financial Inspection Unit.
SRSG Michael Steiner welcomed the fact that such highly qualified experts, particularly experienced in dealing with financial crime, will help to detect and combat financial crime involving public moneys in Kosovo.
Members of the new Financial Inspection Unit (FIU) will perform investigations where ever public money is involved. This means the FIU will conduct random inspections seeking out misuse of funds or assets of public bodies and public or socially owned enterprises. The members of Guardia di Finanza will investigate cases of financial corruption that will lead to criminal prosecution.
The new Inspection Unit will have direct access to SRSG Michael Steiner and will be funded by the UNMIK budget.
“The Guardia di Finanza, who are experts in ‘mafia–busting’, will be working here in UNMIK to put reinforce our policy of Zero Tolerance for Crime,” said SRSG Michael Steiner. “No one—Kosovans or internationals-- will be beyond the reach of our crime-fighting effort.”
