Olivije Zimonja

Head of Unit for Combating Cyber Crime – (Criminal Police Directorate) MINISTRY OF INTERIOR OF THE REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Member of the International Association of Computer Investigation Specialists – IACIS

Good communication skills, confident and professional speaking skills, empathetic listener and persuasive speaker. Able to speak in public, in groups or via electronic media. Very good presentation and negotiation skills.

Team leader with organizational skills and proven ability to train, supervise and motivate people. Can set priorities and act proactively, delegating tasks and responsibilities, organizing people, information, time and events. Focused, versatile, reliable, multi-tasking, flexible, positive, emotionally stable, able to adapt effectively to challenging and urgent situations. Positive work ethic, committed to team building and staff development, culturally sensitive and experienced in managing diverse groups of people.

Extensive knowledge and experience in criminal investigations with a focus on drug abuse, organized crime, cybercrime and undercover investigations. Extensive experience in participating and organizing trainings, courses and seminars in the field of investigations against drug abuse and drug-related crime, organized crime, cybercrime, computer forensics, cyber security, sexual exploitation and abuse of children in the digital environment, cryptocurrency, dark net, OSINT etc.

Recognitions and awards

2015. – South East European Law Enforcement Center (SELEC), Honorary Certificate of Appreciation for significant achievements in fulfilling law enforcement responsibilities in the fight against cross-border crime, Bucharest, Romania;

2011. – Award of the Criminal Investigation Service of the Police of the Republic of Hungary, in recognition of outstanding results, International Academy of Law Enforcement, Budapest, Hungary.

Publications

Soldat D., Keranovic N., Zimonja O., 2024. Procedural weaknesses in criminal legislation and practice in procesuting cybercrime in Bosnia and Herzegovina, collection of papers, OSCE Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina;

Vujić D., Zimonja O., 2020. Cryptocurrencies – challenges of the current global trend for criminal practice, journal Criminalistics theory and practice, International Criminalistics Association, Zagreb, Croatia;

Vujić D., Zimonja O., 2018. Implementation of the procedural provisions of the Convention on Cybercrime in the Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Srpska, journal Criminalistics Theory and Practice, International Criminalistic Association, Zagreb, Croatia;

Vujić D., Zimonja O., 2017. Probative value of encrypted messages from intercepted telecommunications in criminal proceedings, journal Criminalistic Theory and Practice, International Criminalistic Association, Zagreb, Croatia;

Vujić D., Zimonja O., 2016. The use and importance of GPS devices in the implementation of special investigative actions, journal Criminalistic Theory and Practice, International Criminalistic Association, Zagreb, Croatia;

Zimonja O., 2016. The criminalistics and criminal law significance of the criminal offense of facilitating the consumption of drugs, Magazine “Security – Police – Citizens”, Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Srpska, Banja Luka;

Zimonja О., 2014. Criminalistics and criminal legal aspects of the criminal offense of unauthorized production and trafficking of drugs, journal Criminalistics Theory and Practice, International Criminalistic Association, Zagreb, Croatia;

Zimonja О., 2013. Detection and proof of the criminal offense of unauthorized production and trafficking of drugs, magazine “Security – Police – Citizens”, Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Srpska, Banja Luka.

EDUCATION

2020 – 2022 – Master of Science of Forensic Computing and Cybercrime Investigation
University College Dublin, Ireland

2007 – 2015 – Master of Legal Sciences
University of East Sarajevo, Faculty of Law, Pale, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina

CONFERENCES & SEMINARS

14. – 16.11.2023. – Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre (WB3C) – successfully completed the training – Train the Trainers for Police Academies

23.5.2021. – online – successfully completed the course of professional studies on cryptocurrencies: Understanding crime related to cryptocurrencies, INTERPOL and IIPCIC (International College Crime Investigators College);

22.7.2020. – online – successfully completed “Cryptopol”, EUROPOL EC3 cryptocurrency research training

03.12. – 19.12.2019. Garmish-Partenkirchen, Germany – successfully completed Program in Cyber Security Studies (PCSS), George C. Marshall, European Center for Security Studies;

08.07. – 12.07.2019. Velletri, Italy – successfully completed the training “Strengthening the capacity of the police in Southeast Europe to combat transnational organized crime”, the Advanced Institute of Investigative Techniques of the Carabinieri and the OSCE;

04.06. – 07.06.2019. Vienna, Austria – successfully completed training for the enforcement of intellectual property rights, the United States Department of National Security and the National Center for the Coordination of Intellectual Property Rights;

15.04. – 18.04.2019. Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina – successfully completed “Advanced Cybercrime” training, International Criminal Investigation Training Assistance Program (ICITAP), United States Department of Justice;

05.06. – 07.06.2018. Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina – successfully completed OSINT and basic MALTEGO training, EUROPOL;

19.03. – 23.03.2018. Garmish-Partenkirchen, Germany – successfully completed training “European Security Seminar – South (ESS-S 18-06)”, George C. Marshall, European Center for Security Studies;

07.03. – 09.03.2018. Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina – successfully completed training for investigating organized crime on the Darknet, IPA 2012 Twinning Project “Strengthening Law Enforcement”;

27.11. – 08.12.2017. Zagreb, Croatia – successfully completed the “Basic Forensic Computer Exam”, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Organization and Informatics and International Association of Computer Investigation Specialists – IACIS;

02.11. – 03.11.2017. Bucharest, Romania – iPROCEEDS Workshop on Collection and Use of Electronic Evidence;

07.09. – 09.09.2016. Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina – TAIEX Workshop on the use of informants during the investigation;

11.05. – 13.05.2016. Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina – TAIEX Workshop on special investigative measures in the implementation of covert operations;

22.04. – 23.04.2015. Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina – TAIEX Workshop on “Use of special investigative measures in the fight against drug abuse”;

8.04. – 10.04.2015. Budapest, Hungary – Participated in a seminar of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the International Training Center on “Joint Investigation Teams”;

11.03. – 13.03.2015. Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina – Participated in the seminar “Investigation of criminal offenses related to narcotic drugs” US Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the United States Department of Justice;

23.09. – 25.09.2014. Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina – Successfully attended Training on Combating Drug Trafficking, Center for Law Enforcement in Southeast Europe and the United States Department of Justice;

15.04. – 20.04.2013. Prague, Czech Republic – Charles University in Prague, First Faculty of Medicine and the European Center for Drug Monitoring and Drug Addiction award a certificate after satisfactory completion of the Reitox Academy training worth 3 points “Modern Approaches in Drug Monitoring”;

16.10. – 18.10.2012. Ohrid, North Macedonia – Presentation at the International Conference of Experts on the Fight against Drugs and Criminal Organizations, the situation in the EU with special emphasis on the Balkans, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of North Macedonia and DCAF;

10.01. – 02.03.2011. Budapest, Hungary – Successfully completed the Law Enforcement Institution Development Program at the International Law Enforcement Academy – ILEA;

27.09. – 01.10.2010. Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina – Attended a course on “Special investigative actions in the area of drug trafficking” of the Embassy of France in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Narcotics Brigade of the Paris Police Prefecture;

PROJECTS & ACTIVITIES

2024. – Lecturer on the Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre (WB3C) – Cybercrime for Law Enforcement – Training for police investigators, prosecutors and judges

2024. – President of the working group of the Government of the Republic of Srpska for the development of a strategy for the fight against cybercrime in the Republic of Srpska

2024. – Member of the project team in the project CyberSEE – Project on enhanced action on cybercrime and electronic evidence in South-East Europe and Türkiye

2024. – Lecturer in the Chemonics project “Initiative for the Rule of Law in the Western Balkans”

2024. – Lecturer in the project of the Chamber of Commerce of the Republic of Srpska “Cyber security and innovative network technologies in industry – Challenges and trends”

2023. – Lecturer at the CEPOL WB PaCT project on “Digital skills for criminal investigators working on organized crime”, CEPOL;

2021. – Member of the project board and component leader in the IPA 2017 Twinning Project “EU 4 Fight against Cybercrime in BiH”

2021. – Lecturer on the project “Prevention of violence against children and gender-based violence in the digital environment in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, HO International Solidarity Forum EMMAUS (MFS-EMMAUS);

2020. – Member of the project team in the project iPROCCEDS 2 “Targeting crime proceeds on the internet and securing electronic evidence in South East Europe and Turkey”

2020. – Lecturer in the project of the Ministry of Education and Culture for the training of teachers in the subject “Digital World”

2020. – currently – Lecturer in the project “Training of judges and prosecutors on topics related to cybercrime”, Center for the Education of Judges and Public Prosecutors of the Republic of Srpska, Banja Luka;

2020. – currently – Trainer in the project “Prevention and work on the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse of children in the digital environment in Bosnia and Herzegovina” – Save the Children;

2020. – President of the working group of the Government of the Republic of Srpska for the development of a strategy for the fight against cybercrime in the Republic of Srpska

2019. – Trainer at “CEPOL Training Seminar for Financial Investigations for the Western Balkans”, EU Law Enforcement Training Agency – CEPOL;

2019. – Member of the working group for the development of guidelines for cyber security in Bosnia and Herzegovina, OSCE Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina;

2018. – currently – Lecturer on the project “Gender-based crimes through social networks”, OSCE Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Association “Women’s Network of the RS – WPON RS”;

2011. – 2014. – Lecturer on the project “Basic and advanced training for police officers and officials of penitentiary institutions in the field of combating drug abuse”, MoI Republic of Srpska, Banja Luka;

2012. – Lecturer on the project “Training of judges and prosecutors on topics related to the fight against drug abuse”, Center for Education of Judges and Prosecutors of the Republic of Srpska, Banja Luka.

WORK EXPERIENCE

2023 – currently Head of Unit for Combating Cyber Crime