Workshop on SOCTA Questionnaires and methodology in Belgrade
On June 7th 2022 the Italian Ministry of Interior within the Countering Serious Crimes in the Western Balkans – IPA 2019 (CSC WB) project organized a national workshop on the Relevance of Strategic Analysis – SOCTA Questionnaires in Belgrade, Serbia. The aim was to improve the beneficiaries’ skills in strategic analysis; the Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment (SOCTA) methodology, process, and questionnaires. The workshop involved thirteen representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, both analysts and operatives that are in charge of filling in the SOCTA questionnaires.
The SOCTA initiative is the recommendation 6.2 of the EU Action Plan for Chapter 24 and Serbia has already developed a SOCTA in accordance with Europol’s methodology. In this context, the workshop served as an advanced tool towards further strengthening the capacities of the law enforcement agencies of Serbia to jointly conduct strategic and operational criminal analysis in an EU-harmonised manner and in line with Europol’s SOCTA methodology.
The strategic analysis process EU SOCTA 2021, Europol’s methodology, and related questionnaires were elaborated fully during the workshop. Also, practical examples were provided on how to fill in Europol’s questionnaires and analyze organized criminal groups and the level of threat, putting the focus on the relevant indicators to be used by the analysts.
Ms. Anna Marinelli, a senior officer of the Italian State Police and the CSC WB Component Leader for this project output, highlighted the following: “A very significant aspect of the event, which was a joint effort with the beneficiary, was the participation of analysts from both operational and analysis units, which provided for broader expertise and a more effective response against organised crime that, undoubtfully, represents an added value.”
Mr. Vito Ingrosso, a Major of the Carabinieri Corps in the Italian International Police Cooperation Service – Europol National Unit, and a subject matter expert, highlighted: “This was a very fruitful meeting with the beneficiary’s strategic, criminal and investigative analysts as well as operatives, which demonstrates how important it is to continue to jointly operate in the fight against organised crime, from an analytical and strategic angle whilst understanding that the operational aspect cannot be separated from an effective and efficient methodology analysis that adheres to the economic, social and cultural reality of a particular state and of
Europe as a whole.”
