Turkmenistan officials discuss good governance practices during OSCE-organized study visit to Georgia

TBILISI, 4 November 2015 – International standards and national mechanisms to prevent and counter corruption and money laundering were the focus of an OSCE-organized study visit of Turkmen officials to Georgia that concluded in Tbilisi today.

The delegation included six representatives from Turkmenistan’s state institutions, including officials from the Financial Monitoring Department of the Finance Ministry, the Justice and Interior Ministries, the General Prosecutor’s Office and the Central Bank.

They visited a number of relevant state institutions in Georgia, including the Financial Monitoring Service, the National Bank and the Justice Ministry. They  discussed national strategies to combat corruption and money laundering, powers and functions of financial investigation units as well as the importance of preventative legislation to address customer due diligence and suspicious transaction reporting.

“The consequences of corruption and money laundering may pose a serious threat to national and international security,” said Radovan Znasik, Economic and Environmental Officer of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat. “We hope that the visit provided an efficient platform for open discussions and the exchange of advanced international and national practices in the area of good governance.”

During the meetings in Georgia’s Public Service Bureau, the Revenue Service of the Finance Ministry and the General Prosecutor’s Office, the delegation exchanged views on the declaration system for public officials, public service ethics, functions of the Revenue Service and prosecution of crimes related to money laundering and the financing of terrorism.

The three-day study visit is part the OSCE Centre’s continuous support to the government of Turkmenistan in strengthening its national mechanisms to combat corruption and money laundering.