Empowering the Next Generation of Integrity Leaders: ReSPA Hosts 20th Edition of RAI Summer School for Junior Anti-Corruption Practitioners
2-4 July 2025 | ReSPA Office, Podgorica
The 20th edition of the Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative (RAI) Summer School brought together 25 motivated junior anti-corruption professionals from across the region and beyond to ReSPA’s premises in Podgorica. School was jointly supported by ReSPA, the Austrian Development Cooperation, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), reaffirming a joint long-standing commitment to integrity, cooperation, and capacity building.
Participants from RAI members and observers—including Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, as well as Kosovo[1], Georgia, Greece, Poland, Slovenia, and Ukraine—engaged in four days of intensive learning and experience-sharing.
The Summer School offered a comprehensive deep dive into international anti-corruption and organised crime frameworks, particularly focusing on the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) and the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime (UNTOC). Through interactive sessions, case studies, role plays, and group presentations, participants explored both preventive and enforcement tools, legal mechanisms, and cooperation strategies.
A highlight of the programme was the contribution of Mr Constantine Palicarsky (UNODC), who led discussions on complex issues such as mutual legal assistance, joint investigation teams (JITs), controlled delivery, and other special investigative techniques. His practical insights into prosecutorial tools and cross-border coordination challenges provided valuable knowledge for implementing international instruments at the national level.
The Summer School culminated in a formal Certificate Ceremony, followed by a cultural visit that fostered not only friendship and networking among peers but also a deeper understanding of regional diversity and solidarity.
By supporting this initiative, ReSPA continues to invest in the next generation of anti-corruption practitioners, promoting regional collaboration, professionalism, and integrity of public service.
At the bilateral meeting organised in the margins of the event, ReSPA Director Maja Handjiska Trendafilova and RAI Director Albert Hani reaffirmed the shared commitment to advancing regional cooperation in strengthening ethical civil service, capacity building, and supporting the region in better aligning with the European Administrative Space.
