Serbia will be among leading nations in confiscation of the proceeds from crime, State Secretary with the Ministry of Justice Slobodan Homen has said, noting the value of seized property will soon hit EUR 500 million.

Three years since the start of its implementation, the Law on Seizure and Confiscation of the Proceeds from Crime has proven one of the country's most efficient laws, Homen said for the Monday edition of Press.

So far, the state has seized property worth a total of EUR 350 million, and many more investigations are ongoing, so the amount can be expected to rise considerably, writes Press.

"The directorate has in its possession over 150 apartments and houses, hotels, restaurants, offices, companies, cash, motor vehicles, artwork... all of which proves how well the law is functioning. Still, the real effects are yet to come," said Homen.

The European Commission has proposed new, simplified measures for confiscation of illegally obtained property, and Homen said Serbia is open to all suggestions.

"As far as the proposal from Brussels to EU member countries, to amend laws in order to make seizure even faster and more efficient, I have to stress that our law has proven very efficient, but we are ready to consider all recommendations of the European Commission, if we, as a candidate country, receive such a proposal," explained Homen.