FINANCIAL INVESTIGATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL CRIMES IN NORTH MACEDONIA
Keywords:
environmental crimes, financial investigations etc.Abstract
Abstract
Purpose
Environmental crimes are listed high on the agendas on international organizations like Interpol, Europol, United nations etc. Environmental crime is one of the EU’s priorities in the fight against serious and organized crime as part of EMPACT 2022-2025.
According to Europol, environmental crime covers the gamut of activities that breach environmental legislation and cause significant harm or risk to the environment, human health, or both. National police and international organizations must take activities to combat this type of crime. But this criminal investigation is very specific because environmental crimes have some serious consequences, and there is a special methodology for preventing and proving these crimes. During the criminal investigation, investigators must take different operational-tactical measures, investigative actions, specific expertise during the crime scene investigation etc.
Financial investigations are а part of the criminal investigations and law enforcement agencies must take activities within their competences.
Design/Methods/Approach
For preparing the paper authors use content analysis methods. Thay analyzed the data published by authorities, such us Police, Financial police, Agency for financial intelligence and others. Also, data was analyzed from annual reports and another official documents.
Findings
Criminal investigation of environmental crimes is on the margins of law enforcement agencies and their activity for combating this type of crime in North Macedonia. Authorities have some activities but that is not enough for successful investigations. There is a need for better and more successful criminal investigations in the country, including better interinstitutional cooperation during financial investigations.
Originality/Value
The paper presents conclusions about this very important topic and proposes measures for more successful results from the criminal investigations of environmental crime in North Macedonia.
Keywords: environmental crimes, financial investigations etc.
References
Pereira Gonsales & Hart, Following the money from environmental crimes – a call to action, March 20, 2024, blogs.woldbank.org
Law on Prevention of Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism (Official Gazette of the Republic of North Macedonia number 151/2022 of 04.07.2022)
Criminal Code, Official Gazette of RSM, no. 188, dated 7.9.2023 year LXXIX
Malish Sazdovska M, Analysis of the anti-corruption legal framework in the area of the environment, Florozon, Skopje, December 2023
Malish Sazdovska M, International Environmental Protection, Faculty of Security, Skopje, 2014
Malish Sazdovska M. Handbook for investigations in environmental crimes, Faculty of Security, 2013,
Nikoloska S., Economic criminalistics, Faculty of security, Skopje, 2008
Serious and Organized Crime Threat Assessment - mid-term review, Ministry of the Interior, 2023.
Serious and Organized Crime Threat Assessment, Ministry of the Interior, 2021
Internet sources
