On February 22-23, the final event of the EU-financed project "Multidisciplinary approach and regional cooperation in combatting corruption and fraud affecting EU financial interests" was held in Vilnius (Lithuania). The project was prepared and implemented by the Special Investigation Service (STT) of the Republic of Lithuania. More than 70 participants from the institutions of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland shared their experience in detecting and investigating criminal acts of a corrupt nature, in using big data analysis, in applying prevention measures, in creating and strengthening the anti-corruption environment in their respective countries.
"The project implemented by STT made it possible not only to share best practices, but also to strengthen regional cooperation with foreign partners. The strong involvement of the institutions of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland in this project shows that we are on the right track and that we all care about creating a corruption-resistant environment both in the Baltic region and beyond. I am happy about the success of the project and I believe that the experience gained will be useful in practice", said Egidijus Radzevičius, STT Deputy Director.
Project participants – senior officials and experts of Lithuanian, Polish, Latvian and Estonian institutions working in the field of anti-corruption and fraud - presented their experience and proven solutions in preventing corruption and fraud affecting the financial interests of the EU. The participants heard various presentations, participated in round table discussions, discussed cases in separate sessions on prevention, investigation and analytics. In the leaders' session, the heads of the anti-corruption institutions of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland examined the latest trends and challenges of detecting and investigation serious corruption cases, in particular, affecting EU financial interests, and agreed on further closer cooperation in this area.
At the event, invited experts from the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO), the European Investment Bank (EIB), the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), the Italian Guardia di Finanza, and the French Anti-Corruption Agency (AFA) also shared their insights and best practices.
This EU-financed project strengthened the multidisciplinary approach to combatting fraud and corruption, in particular, affecting the financial interests of the EU, as well as regional cooperation between the responsible institutions of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland. The project is financed under the EU Hercule III program. Two international seminars were organized during the implementation of this project. The first of them took place in September 2022. The total value of the project is EUR 58,464.80.
