The project “Supporting the Republic of Moldova in the confiscation and recovery of criminal assets (CRESTA)” was officially launched during a meeting attended by relevant institutions and partners, TRIBUNA reports.

Minister of Justice Veronica Mihailov-Moraru emphasized the project’s contribution to strengthening the mechanism for identifying, seizing, recovering, and socially reinvesting criminal assets.

“This project continues our national efforts and brings international expertise. It will help us advance the implementation of commitments under the European reform agenda. Our shared goal is to achieve tangible results in asset recovery and enhance the capacity of involved institutions,” stated the Minister.

The Ministry of Justice will coordinate the efforts of key institutions: the General Prosecutor’s Office, the Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office, the Prosecutor’s Office for Combating Organized Crime and Special Cases, the National Anticorruption Center, the Agency for the Recovery of Criminal Assets (ARBI), the State Tax Service, the Service for the Prevention and Combating of Money Laundering, and other relevant authorities.

Guido Beltrani, Director of the Swiss Cooperation Office, noted that preparatory workshops were held with various institutions, current procedures were assessed, and recommendations were made to improve asset recovery and prevent money laundering. Jonathan Spicer, Head of the Legal Department at the International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR), added that the project will provide additional expertise for investigating complex cases and support the strengthening of ARBI and other structures.

Last week, the Ministry of Justice signed the agreement to launch the CRESTA project, which is part of Switzerland’s Cooperation Programme in the Republic of Moldova 2025–2028, under the “Governance and Social Cohesion” domain. Swiss support targets key institutions such as ARBI and the General Prosecutor’s Office through training, case-specific assistance, and promotion of consistent legal application.

At the legislative level, in summer 2025, Parliament adopted in first reading a draft law on the use of confiscated assets for social or public interest purposes. Earlier this year, the second reading of a law amending several normative acts was approved, aiming to improve the mechanism for confiscating criminal assets.