The third meeting of the Inter-Institutional Technical Working Group (ITWG) took place on 11.06.2024. This event was organized in collaboration with the Office of the Council of Europe in Tirana.

The meeting was attended by the permanent members of ITWG, representatives of public institutions and private sector. The main agenda of the gathering centered on discussing and analyzing the suggestions made by Council of Europe expert Mr. David Parody concerning the draft document “National Strategy against the Prevention of Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism for the period 2024-2030”.

The ITWG meeting was greeted by Mrs. Lenka Vitkova, representing the Delegation of the European Union in Albania. In her opening speech Mrs. Vitkova commended the collaborative work of various institutions in creating this strategic document, emphasizing its importance for future assessments of Albania’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing systems.

Mr. Olsi Dekovi, Deputy Head of the Council of Europe Office in Tirana, also delivered a welcoming speech, expressing gratitude for the efforts put into drafting this strategy, which aligns with the National Risk Assessment (NRA) that it is based on the Council of Europe’s methodology, supported by the EU and CoE. This strategic document marks a significant step forward in strengthening the fight against money laundering and terrorist financing.

The General Director of the Financial Intelligence Agency thanked the participants for their contribution so far and emphasized the need for active contribution and engagement in the final strategy drafting process.

The meeting proceeded with the Financial Intelligence Agency representatives presenting the process of developing the initial strategy draft led by the National Expert, with financial support from GIZ.

Afterwards, it was Mr. David Parody, an esteemed expert from the Council of Europe, who took the stage to deliver a speech. During his presentation, he shared valuable recommendations and suggestions to objectively improve the content of the draft strategy, along with highlighting the essential activities that must be fulfilled.

Following the meeting’s conclusion, the ITWG members actively participated in the discussions and submitted suggestions to improve the draft document of the “National Strategy against the Prevention of Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism for the period 2024-2030”. Moreover, they identified the priorities that should be accomplished within the framework of the subsequent commitments.