Abstract
The Swiss Federal Office of Police (Fedpol) has the authority to impose entry bans on foreign nationals under the Foreign Nationals and Integration Act (FNIA). Given the challenges faced by European countries, particularly in migration and counterterrorism efforts, the Schengen Information System (SIS) has become an essential tool. This system enables authorities and police within the Schengen area to exchange crucial information, including details about individuals subjected to entry bans, wanted persons, terrorism threats, violent extremism, and organized crime activities. It is widely acknowledged that certain Eastern European countries, such as Moldova, Romania, Ukraine, Russia, and Bulgaria, have a judiciary plagued by corruption. Consequently, there is a potential risk of politically influenced manipulation of international criminal proceedings. Given that many entry bans rely on foreign criminal proceedings, which could be politically motivated or subject to manipulation, it is essential to scrutinize the Fedpol's current practices critically.
TopUnique Characteristics Of International Criminal Proceedings
In some Eastern European countries, such as Russia, Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria, and Ukraine, the judiciary is highly corrupt (Skoryk, 2019; Transparency International, 2020). In these countries, it is possible to bribe prosecutors and judges or exert political pressure on the judiciary (World Justice Project, 2020). This is unheard of in Switzerland, known for its excellent standards regarding the law.
Practices such as opening criminal proceedings on uncertain grounds against political and business opponents have become commonplace in these countries (Teichmann, 2021). Often, the state opens criminal proceedings against disgraced businesspeople or oligarchs to further weaken them (Anderson, 2007). Often businesspeople also report to such tactics to weaken their competitors. Prosecutors are often bribed for this purpose (Karklins, 2002). Frequently, the person in question is charged with money laundering offences (Teichmann & Sergi, 2018). They resort to such approaches to keep the person concerned busy with these criminal proceedings without being able to intervene in other areas (Oxford Analytica, 2021).