Liechtenstein and Austria's Financial and Corp. Entities Facilitating Organized Crime in the Balkans
Channel: Adriatic Institute
Date: 2014-02-12

For the entire video, please visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-cUu9hmcBI

For the individual video clips on key issues covered at the Washington, DC, event, please visit: http://www.youtube.com/adriaticinstitute

Roger Helmer, Member of the European Parliament representing the United Kingdom, asked written questions of the European Commission regarding money laundry via Hypo Alpe Adria Group and Prince Michael von Liechtenstein's involvement:

Money Laundering Scheme in the Balkan Region (April 2012):
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=WQ&reference=E-2012-003637&language=EN

Croatia - Illicit Financial Outflows via Crime, Corruption and Tax Evasion (Prince Michael von Liechtenstein) (January 2013)
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=WQ&reference=E-2013-000637&language=EN

This video is an excerpt from the event which took place at the Heritage Foundation on December 13, 2013, under the title "The Unfinished Work of the Fall of the Berlin Wall: Advancing the Rule of Law" with Hon. Edwin Meese III, 75th Attorney General of the United State; Hon. Becky Norton Dunlop, Vice President, The Heritage Foundation; Judge Henry Saad; Joel Anand Samy and Natasha Srdoc, co-founders of the Adriatic Institute for Public Policy.

LIECHTENSTEIN
Further reading on LGT Bank - Liechtenstein - money laundry and the report from the US Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations - Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs report: 
http://www.levin.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/supporting/2008/071708PSIReport.pdf

Further reading on the Council of Europe's report citing concerns of obstruction of justice in Liechtenstein and weak rule of law -
Report on Liechtenstein - GRECO - Council of Europe:
Publication: OCTOBER 31, 2013
http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/monitoring/greco/evaluations/round2/GrecoRC1&2(2013)1_Liechtenstein_EN.pdf
Liechtenstein report highlights: 

10. GRECO recommended to review the powers of the Prince, as enshrined in article 12 of the Constitution and other pieces of legislation, to block or discontinue criminal investigations and proceedings.
16. GRECO recommended to ensure that the selection of judges, including temporary ad hoc judges, is effected in an impartial manner.
27. GRECO recommended to ensure that adequate access to information and evidence is granted for the investigation of the various corruption-related offences.
53. GRECO recommended to develop ethical rules and codes of conduct for public administrations at central and local level and to provide adequate training on the use of these rules, including the conduct to be adopted vis-a-vis the offering of gifts and other gratuities.
81. Although the fight against corruption in Liechtenstein - in particular in the context of dealing with financial crime and money laundering - appears to be a priority of the Government, the reform process has been fairly slow and only limited progress has been achieved in order to comply with the recommendations issued by GRECO to Liechtenstein.

Council of Europe publishes first report ever on fighting corruption in Liechtenstein
Strasbourg, OCTOBER 31, 2012
http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/monitoring/greco/news/News%2820121031%29Eval1&2Liechtenstein_en.asp
"...the Prince retains in principle the power to block and terminate any investigation or prosecution. It is suggested to also keep under review the appointment process concerning judges."

AUSTRIA
Austria - the Alpine Corruption Paradise
http://www.academia.edu/2432598/Austria_-_the_Alpine_corruption_paradise

For the entire video, please visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-cUu9hmcBI