Contact: Amanda Hunter
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tel: +44 (0) 020 7470 9123 E-mail: Amanda.Hunter@capita.co.uk
RIPA INTERNATIONAL TO MANAGE NATIONWIDE ANTI-CORRUPTION PROGRAMME FOR JUDGES AND PROSECUTORS IN KOSOVO On Tuesday 16th October 2012 many senior Judges, Prosecutors and Police Investigators will gather at The Emerald Hotel in Pristina, Kosovo, for a newly created regional training programme on anticorruption. The programme aims to develop a strong, sustainable anti-corruption strategy and to further Kosovo’s integration with the EU. The programme will be officially launched by HM Ambassador, Ian Cameron Cliff OBE, with addresses from the President of the Supreme Court, the State Prosecutor’s Office, and KJI Director, Lavdim Krasniqi. Senior representatives from British capacity building organisation RIPA International, who will be managing the initiative, will also be contributing to the launch event
“As part of our ongoing work in the region, RIPA International is proud to support the Kosovo Judiciary in this important project to develop anti-corruption education”, comments RIPA Managing Director, Denise Smart. “A key objective of ours is to ensure that the programme is locally sustainable for the long term, so that aspiring Kosovan judges and prosecutors learn best practice in this area from their peers, for years to come”. The learning outcomes from the programme will aim to empower existing and upcoming legal professionals in Kosovo with the knowledge, attitudes and skills to become committed and competent promoters of anti-corruption policies. There is a strong desire on the part of the local criminal justice institutions to increase their effectiveness and capability in successfully bringing those accused of corruption in Kosovo to justice. RIPA International, following a scoping visit to Pristina has formulated the anti-corruption strategic plan for the judicial system aimed at strengthening collaboration with civil society. “Kosovo Judicial Institute, as the main professional institution for training within the judicial system of Kosovo, will benefit from preparing a strategy for specialised judicial education programmes’, said Lavdim Krasniqi, Director of Kosovo Judicial Institute. ‘’The knowledge gained from this project will
help develop and implement future training programmes in order to strengthen capacities of judges, prosecutors and other professionals within the judiciary on fighting corruption.” Steve Pitts, RIPA International’s Team Leader for the Kosovo Judicial Project said ’"It’s a great privilege to be able to share our expertise and some of the lessons we have, and are still learning, from tackling corruption elsewhere in Europe with our colleagues in Kosovo. We are confident that, when we eventually leave Kosovo, we will have helped the KJI put in place an anti-corruption training programme for future judges, prosecutors and investigators."
NOTES FOR EDITORS ABOUT: RIPA International’s 90 years’ experience designing and delivering capacity building programmes across the globe translates into significant value in supporting ongoing local, state and national transformation within the EU candidate and potential candidate countries preparing for their accession into the EU. ### Contact: RIPA International on Tel: +44(0) 020 7470 9123 Fax: +44(0)207-242 7893, email: ripa.training@capita.co.uk or visit us on http://www.ripainternational.co.uk/Home.aspx SOURCE RIPA International