A delegation of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), headed by the Deputy Secretary General of the institution, Vladislav Cojuhari, is taking part in the Joint Strategic Cooperation Forum organized by EUROPOL in Hague, the Netherlands, between January 30 and 31, 2024 in the context of the EU-funded TOPCOP project (Strengthening strategic and operational cooperation in the Eastern Partnership countries to fight against organized crime).
The aim of the forum is to bring together the management of law enforcement institutions covering the operational and training constituencies from Eastern Partnership and Western Balkans regions to engage in meaningful discussion on the challenges in the efforts against serious and organized crime. Thus, the forum serves as a platform for dialogue, exchange of good practices and strengthening collective efforts.
During the panel discussions on emerging threats related to serious and organized crime, Vladislav Cojuhari stressed the importance of the EU supported Security Hub, which serves as a mechanism for scaling up cooperation in strengthening internal security and border management by mitigating risks and threats in drugs, radioactive substances, human trafficking, illegal migration and cybercrime.
“We recognize that the responsibility no longer solely rests on preventing and combating illicit activities just within national borders, due to the simple fact that the criminal organizations nowadays operate within a transnational reach, without recognizing borders, not limiting themselves to a single country. The challenges we face require a collective and borderless approach to effectively combat and prevent these interconnected illicit activities”, added the Deputy Secretary General of MIA.
The Joint Strategic Cooperation Forum brings together representatives of EU agencies, such as CEPOL, FRONTEX, DG NEAR, and law enforcement agencies from the Eastern Partnership and Wester Balkans countries.
