An independent report by Transparency International ranked Kosovo as having some of the highest perceived levels of corruption in the world. The country is seeking accession to the European Union and tackling its corruption is a high priority for the Kosovo Government. The project, funded by the British Embassy in Pristina, has objectives to improve the capability and capacity of the criminal justice agencies tasked with responsibility for tackling corruption.
In August 2012, Steve Pitts, a former senior police officer and Director of Studies for the Kosovo Judicial Project, together with Sam Makkan, an experienced international prosecutor, delployed by RIPA International to meet with senior stakeholders including the President of the Kosovo Supreme Court, the Director of the Kosovo Anti-Corruption Agency and the Chief Prosecutor for Anti-Corruption. This scoping study led to the development of a three day training curriculum and a two year anti-corruption training strategy for the Kosovo Judicial Institute.
Training sessions, delivered to a total of 75 judges, prosecutors and investigators over a three week period in October will be further embedded by a return visit from Steve Pitts in January 2013 to train five trainers to deliver the anti-corruption training programme over the next two years.
Steve said “The government of Kosovo is committed to tackling corruption. We were able to support the British Embassy and RIPA International in delivering training which shared our experiences of fighting corruption in the UK with those at the forefront of the fight against corruption in this rapidly developing country”.
