Special attention has been paid to the financial analysis of the reports received by FIU. It’s for this reason that the structural changes which have been proposed have consisted on the increase of the number of specialists in the Analysis Sector, and the number will be increased from three to five analysts. Apart from the human factor, the information technology has been prioritised, based on the fact that being an administrative FIU, we posses a lot of information.
Given that there have been no case management programs, the Information Technology Sector worked vigorously and succeded in establishing it in July 2008. The construction and the functioning of the case management program (investigative files) was accomplished. This program digitalizes and centralizes all of the information that FIU currently posseses and assists the analysts to have a quick consultation and to draw accurate conclusions on the cases.
Some of the most important developments in IT, which aim at putting the Financial Intelligence Unit alongside its homologues, are:
- The installation and configuration of hardware equipment in the framework of CARDS Program 2004 with the funds of the EU Delegation, which has succesfully been achieved. It includes the reconstruction of the computer network, the installation of the centrally operated phone system and the establishment of the security system.
- This contemporary technological system, allows FIU to receive and analyze the reports coming from commercial banks or other entities which have a reporting obligation, online, by using secure channels of information. This offers the opportunity to store the reports, to enhance the flexibility in the utilisation of analytical software in order to increase the quality and the speed of FIU’s work.
- The start of online reportings. With the entry in force of Law No. 9917, of May 19, 2008 “On the prevention of money laundering and terrorism financing”, GDPML has been confronted with an increase in the number of reportings from second level banks.
- This phenomenon has brought the initial problems with the current computer programs and the urgent need of building the module of the online information reporting.This module which is still in the testing stage, has been installed in two banks and the result so far has been sucessful in bringing flexibility and speed reporting. The developed module is in conformity with law 9917 and is also based on the suggestions of second level banks. With the installation of this module, we believe that the reporting will be expedited allowing thus for speed and flexibility. The module of the reporting of information for 2009 has been concluded with the establishment of the online service from the Commercial International Bank.
- The building of an analytical program. In the framework of 2005 CARDS Program, with the funds of the EU Delegation, the procurement of an analytical program has been enabled. The project commenced on November 19, 2008 and is scheduled to last six months. Preliminary tests have been carried out already, whereas the installation of the first version of this program will be made in the early weeks of January 2009. The program is built around four main pillars:
- Security of information, in order to achieve the parameters determined by NIA;
- Further upgrade of case administration;
- Visual modules of the Analysis of Information, to assist analysists
- The collection of information (online through secure interfaces with a minimum of 128 bit coding as well as offline). This will reduce the costs of the reporting entities and will enable the reports to be received in real time in order to be analysed by FIU.
- The excellent cooperation with the National Agency of the Information Society (NAIS) has yielded benefits for the staff of the technology of information in the training domain, thus increasing the level of professionalism. NAIS has also included the Financial Intelligence Unit in the GOV .NET network, planning to make this institution in 2009 part of this national network through the fibre optic connection.
- Reconfiguration of the official GDPML website which enables the increase of the level of information for legal entities and public in general.