Ooni Koda
  1. Home
  2. /
  3. Newsfeed
  4. /
  5. Italy and Romania strengthen cooperation in the fight...

Italy and Romania strengthen cooperation in the fight against economic and organised crime, including in support of civil society

February 20, 2025

Over the last months, the Embassy of Italy to Bucharest, with the presence of a legal expert, cooperated at operational level with the Italian Asset Recovery Office of the Ministry of the Interior – International Police Cooperation Service (SCIP) on some pending requests for tracing criminal assets to be confiscated for the Romanian authorities.   The cooperation included, similarly, the recovery of the sums deriving from the execution in Romania of seizures of corporate and real estate assets seized from Italian organized crime networks, to be allocated to the Single Justice Fund FUG according to the Embassy’s press release.   As a result of this operational cooperation, a bilateral working group dedicated to strengthening asset tracing, seizure and confiscation activities met on 20 January. The mandate of ANABI in Romania and that of ANBSC in Italy, the regulatory frameworks on judicial control and administration, as well as the models and practices of destination and utilisation of confiscated assets were compared. In this context, on the Italian side, the role of the receivership was emphasised in order to ensure the continuity of commercial activity and the protection of jobs, aiming at reintegrating into the legal economy the businesses previously controlled by criminal groups.   Similarly, there was presented the innovative solution adopted at the initiative Interpol in Italy which generated Silver Notice, the new instrument designed to track illicit goods internationally.   Last but not least, the Italian Finance Guard illustrated new techniques for investigation for tracking crypto assets with the help of satellite instruments, including for anti-money laundering purposes.   On the Italian side, the bilateral consultations were chaired by Prefect Maria Rosaria Laganà, Director General of ANBSC, Cons. Antonio Balsamo, Deputy General Prosecutor at the Court of Cassation, Col. GdF Roberto Ribaudo, Director of the ARO Office of the Ministry of the Interior, Col. GdF Luca Cioffi, Head of the Analysis Office of the General Command of the Italian Finance Guard, Major Francesco Venditti, Officer of the Specialised Unit for Privacy and Technological Fraud of the Italian Finance Guard.   The next day, the Italian delegation took part in the conference promoted by the Romanian civil society on the theme of social reuse of the goods confiscated as awareness-raising tool in the fight against organized crime and active citizenship. The meeting took place with the initiative Democracy and Rule of Law capacity – building participative camp and benefitted from the collaboration between the Embassy, ANABI, the National Romanian Anticorruption Department, the European Centre for Legal Education Research, the Centre for Human Rights and Migration, Libera, Chance, Association for Cooperation and Sustainable Development. The restitution of confiscated property to local communities that have been dispossessed can be a step forward in Romania towards better and more conscious forms of social inclusion.  (Photo:https://ambbucarest.esteri.it/)  

Read in full - click here
Romanian Parliament, police launch probes into Bucharest residential building explosion

The Romanian Parliament's Chamber of Deputies greenlit a request from opposition parties Alliance for the Union of Romanians (or AUR), SOS Romania, and the Party of Young People (or POT) to establish an inquiry commission into the October 17 explosion at the residential building in southern Bucharest. Three people died in the blast, which was […]

Romanians no longer impulsive but will hunt for discounts on Black Friday, studies show

Two new studies centering on Romanians’ purchasing habits in connection with the yearly discount event known as Black Friday show a starkly different image compared to previous years. The findings suggest Romanians traded impulsivity for strategic planning.   According to the latest Cargus survey conducted among 1,036 urban respondents, seven in ten Romanians are tracking desired […]

Romania travel: Four destinations for a fall getaway

Colorful foliage, tranquil surroundings, and plenty of nature to explore: from mountain towns to wine-country escapes, we've selected below several options for an autumn break. Buzău Land This area, located in the southeastern part of the country, in the Carpathian bend, has been a UNESCO Geopark since 2022. It's a completely rural area that offers […]

Beyond Business School opens 3rd cohort to build Romania’s future business leaders

Beyond Business School, founded by serial entrepreneurs Andra Ghibuțiu and Grégoire Vigroux, today announced the launch of the 3rd edition of its executive program in Bucharest. Designed for ambitious professionals ready to accelerate their careers, the program combines internationally accredited courses, hands-on business training, and direct access...

ORA Jazz Festival returns to Oradea for its 6th edition this November

The sound of jazz will once again fill Oradea this November as the ORA Jazz Festival returns for its sixth edition, bringing together artists from across Europe and beyond. The festival will take place between November 14 and 16 at the Oradea State Philharmonic and the Sion Neolog Synagogue. This year’s edition features performers from […]

Codruța Furtună has been appointed Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Allianz-Țiriac Asigurări

Allianz-Țiriac Asigurări announces the appointment of Codruța Furtună, currently Sales and Distribution Director, as Deputy Chief Executive Officer. The nomination has been approved by the Financial Supervisory Authority (ASF) and will be registered with the National Trade Register Office. Codruța Furtună will continue to oversee the Sales and Distribution area in Allianz-Țiriac, playing a key […]