CORRUPTION AND MONEY LAUNDERING IN THE REPUBLIC OF NORTH MACEDONIA

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is tо analyze the emerging forms of corruption in the Republic of North Macedonia through specific corrupt crimes and the risk of connection with money laundering. In the Macedonian criminal code, several corrupt crimes are incriminated, and since the motive for their execution is the acquisition of illegal property benefit, an analysis is made for the most common connection with money laundering, that is, the money that was acquired through corruption is shown as legally acquired money. A period of 9 years from 2014 to 2022 is being researched to obtain indicators of the most frequently committed corrupt crimes, as well as the volume, structure, and dynamics of reported, accused, and convicted perpetrators. Then an analysis is made of the situation with money laundering, i.e. for which corrupt crimes the criminal investigation is most often extended, criminal proceedings are also conducted for money laundering. The research also analyzes the type and amount of confiscated financial assets that originated from corrupt crimes and went through the money laundering process.

Design/Methods/Approach

The paper is systematized from several units, namely the analysis of corrupt crimes according to the Macedonian penal legislation, normative analysis of money laundering as a separate crime, presentation of the research methodology and data provision, their systematization and comparative analysis for the researched period, drawing conclusions and display of references.

Findings

Corruption and money laundering are social phenomena that negatively affect democracy and the rule of law, especially in societies in transition, but are not uncommon in highly developed democracies. Corruption is a criminal phenomenon that manifests itself through several public forms and forms of execution, it is criminalized in several crimes against official duty, from abuse of official duty and powers, receiving and giving bribes, embezzlement and serving in the service, falsification of official documentation to illegal acquisition and concealment of property. These are serious crimes that cause serious financial implications where the damage is inflicted on the state budget, and the benefit gained is for personal or family enrichment that is not possible to acquire legally.  It is in this direction that the research is aimed at obtaining knowledge about the most frequently committed corrupt crimes in the Republic of North Macedonia and whether the investigators took measures and actions to provide evidence of the type and amount of the acquired illegal property benefit, whether the financial resources passed the process of money laundering and whether it has been detected, secured and confiscated and to what extent.

Originality/Value

The paper is original, and it shows a theoretical analysis of corrupt crimes, an analysis of the risk of connection with money laundering, as well as presented and analyzed data from the conducted research for the researched period with the application of research methods and techniques.