Nataša Kovačević

Head of AFCOS Department for Combating Irregularities and Fraud, Montenegro

Ms Kovačević has more than 19 years of general professional experience and more than 10 years of specific professional experience in the field of Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) /EU management project, with specialization in decentralized management of EU assistance funds, preparation of legislation, harmonization of laws, rules and regulations with EU acquis, institution/administrative capacity building (including training needs assessments and awareness raising).

Being the Head of AFCOS Office for 5 years, Ms.Kovačević participated in overall activities related to establishing an effective system for combating irregularities and fraud in pre-accession period, meaning drafting legal framework related to system of protection of EU financial interest in Montenegro: National Anti-fraud Strategy in the field of protection of EU financial interests and its Action Plan; Guidelines for managing irregularities and fraud; Risk Assessment Methodology regarding irregularities and fraud; Handbook about functioning of AFCOS in Montenegro;  Decision on establishing the AFCOS Network, etc. Being the member of Government Working Group for Chapter 32-Financial Supervision, Ms Kovačević has been continuously working on improving and harmonizing the legislation in the area of protection of financial interests of the EU with the EU aquis.

Being the Head of Central Finance and Contracting Unit during the period of  establishment of that system in Montenegro, Ms. Kovačević participated in overall activities, planning and management, necessary for introducing decentralized management system in Montenegro according to the EC Regulations, and has proven experience in programming the EU IPA Technical Assistance projects in terms of Project Fiche preparations, drafting Terms of Reference `s, evaluation of projects etc.

As the Head of AFCOS Office, which serves as the main contact point for OLAF and has the coordinating role in the AFCOS system, Ms Kovačević is in charge of reporting irregularities to OLAF through Irregularity Management System (IMS), administering IMS, as well as providing support to OLAF investigators in their on the spot checks conducted in Montenegro.

Ms.Kovačević has more than 5 years of proven experience in institution and capacity building needs assessments and provision of services (trainings, lectures, capacity building programs etc.)  for line ministries, private sector, academic institutions in the field of management of EU funds, and all necessary activities related to it.