Laidi Surva (ET)
Vice Chancellor for Criminal Policy, Estonian Ministry of Justice
SUMMARY:
In 2024 a new confiscation directive was adopted in the EU. What were the expectations for this directive, how did the final outcome differ from the initial proposal? What were the main discussions and arguments of the EU Member States? Law and justice – do we have the right tools to fight financial crime? What is the potential of an EU-wide non-conviction-based confiscation practice to become a game-changer in the fight against financial crime?
As the non-conviction-based asset confiscation seems to be an effective way to fight financial crime, the question of how it fits with Estonian (continental European) legal system. How should we tackle the question of presumption of innocence and other related issues. Which principles of the Estonian criminal and civil law need to be changed to implement the new EU directives. Who should lead this process and how can the public debate help to find the best balance between security and fundamental rights.
LAIDI SURVA BIO:
Laidi Surva has worked in the criminal policy departments of the Ministry of Justice in various positions since 2009. From September 2022 to January 2023, he worked in the Department of Economic Diplomacy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In the years 2015-2018, Laidi Surva was in Ukraine with the European Union Advisory Mission (EUAM). Laidi Surva has a PhD in public administration from Tallinn University of Technology.