CEPOL’s Western Balkans Partnership against Crime and Terrorism project implements first onsite training activity in Budapest

CEPOL’s Western Balkans Partnership against Crime and Terrorism project implements first onsite training activity in Budapest

08 November 2021
 

11.26_4


The European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training, with the support of Europol, implemented a five-day training course on Countering Terrorism Financing for the beneficiaries of the Western Balkans Partnership against Crime and Terrorism project. The activity took place between 25 and 29 October 2021 at CEPOL’s headquarters in Budapest.

Overall, 28 law enforcement officials and prosecutors from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia attended this activity. Participants increased their knowledge on the threats rising from the financing of terrorism, got acquainted with investigative techniques and learnt the importance of public-private partnerships in countering terrorism financing. Furthermore, they gained insight into the use of emerging and state-of-the art technologies and payment methods.

The trainers, with background in the police work, prosecution and private sector, shared up-to-date knowledge with the participants. The course also allowed the participants to reflect on their recent experiences and lessons learnt, as well as to discuss the challenges they are facing.

During the evaluation of the course, a participant captured a paramount angle of this onsite activity:

“We came to this training as strangers and we leave as friends”.

This statement underlines the social impact of CEPOL’s education and learning activities, as an equally important goal of this project is to build relationships and create networks for law enforcement officials in the Western Balkans.

The Countering Terrorism Financing course was the first instance of a series of 23 activities that the project team, hand in hand with Europol, will provide to the beneficiary partners as part of CEPOL’s training portfolio.

Read more about the WB PaCT project here.
 


* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and it is in line with the UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence
2558