The role of the notary’s office in combating money laundering

Details: Published: February 27, 2023

Attendees at the expert seminar on the “Role of the notary's office in preventing and combating money laundering” held on 16 November 2022 in Tirana.

Albania

IRZ organised an expert seminar followed by a panel discussion on the “Role of the notary's office in preventing and combating money laundering” with the Federal Chamber of Notaries, the National Chamber of Notaries of Albania and the Albanian General Directorate for Combating Money Laundering in Tirana on 16 November 2022. The event followed on from an online seminar from the previous year and the work that had been started between the Federal Chamber of Notaries and the National Chamber of Notaries of Albania.

Expert seminar “Combating money laundering in notarial practice”: typology, obligations and a practical implementation

An expert seminar was held on the morning of 16 November at the premises of the Albanian Chamber of Notaries in Tirana, attended by approx. 30 Albanian notaries. The participants were welcomed by Mr. Richard Bock, Judicial Councillor and General Plenipotentiary of the Federal Chamber of Notaries for International Affairs, Mr. Fatmir Lacej, Vice-President of the National Chamber of Notaries of Albania and Mr. Frank Hupfeld, Head of the Project Area South East Europe II and South Caucasus of IRZ. The event kicked off when the representatives of the Directorate General for Money Laundering presented current developments and challenges in the fight against money laundering in Albania; they stressed the importance of the obligation to report on the part of notaries. Dr Lovro Tomasic, General Plenipotentiary of the Federal Chamber of Notaries for International Affairs then gave a presentation. The role of the notary's office was presented using actual case studies along with the principles of the scope of application of the Money Laundering Act. Dr Tomasic also responded to the question of a general risk analysis for the notary's office and its due diligence and reporting obligations.

Panel discussion in the Albanian Ministry of Justice

Following the expert seminar for Albanian notaries, a public panel discussion was held in the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Albania, attended by over 170 representatives of central institutions for fighting money laundering in Albania. The event was opened by Ms. Mimoza Sadushaj, President of the Albanian Chamber of Notaries, Mr. Jens Bormann, President of the Federal Chamber of Notaries, Mr. Andi Përmeti, Section Head of the Department for Liberal Professions in the Albanian Ministry of Justice, SE. Mr. Peter Zingraf, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany in Albania and Mr. Frank Hupfeld. The panel discussion started with keynote speeches by Ms. Sadushaj, Dr Tomasic and Mr. Ervin Koçi, Director of the General Directorate for the Prevention of Money Laundering.

The event promoted the German-Albanian exchange of expertise and experience and the networking of relevant actors in the fight against money laundering with the Albanian notary's office.

Meeting with the Minister of Justice of the Republic of Albania

The exchange of expertise and experience was rounded off on the following day with a meeting with Mr Ulsi Manja, Minister of Justice of the Republic of Albania, with the participation of the Federal Chamber of Notaries, the National Chamber of Notaries of Albania, the German Ambassador and the IRZ.