Regional cooperation, the fight against organised crime, border protection and strengthening the resilience of security institutions at the centre of the meeting
A meeting of Ministers of the Interior was held at Villa Gorica as part of the Berlin Process. The meeting brought together senior representatives of the Western Balkan countries, the European Union, the United Kingdom and international organisations.
The meeting focused on strengthening regional and international police cooperation and developing a joint response to cross-border security challenges, with particular emphasis on combating organised crime, protecting critical infrastructure, border management and preventing irregular migration.
Opening the meeting, Minister of the Interior Danilo Šaranović emphasised that Montenegro views its presidency of the Berlin Process as a confirmation of its commitment to European values, regional cooperation and achieving concrete results.
“Our presidency is a confirmation of our overall efforts and ambition to translate European values into concrete results, as demonstrated by our current position as the next country in line for European Union membership,” Šaranović said.
Speaking about the response to contemporary security threats, the Minister stressed the importance of reforming and strengthening the security sector and building strong and resilient institutions.
“The activities we are undertaking have contributed to international partners having greater confidence in our security system than ever before. And believe me, this is not a compliment — it is an obligation,” Šaranović said.
Olivier Onidi, Deputy Director-General of the Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs of the European Commission (EC), said that, within the Berlin Process, the Western Balkan countries are not competing with one another, but working together towards EU accession.
“We see this process as an important complement to everything we are doing in the area of accession-related activities. Thanks to the leadership and impetus provided by Germany, it enables us to remain focused on finding ways to work together on civilian security,” Onidi said.
Bernd Krosser, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of the Interior of the Federal Republic of Germany, said:
“I would like to thank Montenegro for hosting the Berlin Process this year. Germany launched the Berlin Process in 2014. From the very beginning, its objective has been to support the Western Balkan countries on their path towards membership of the European Union. Germany will accompany and support you on your path towards EU membership.”
Participants agreed that addressing transnational crime requires stronger regional cooperation, the timely exchange of information, joint investigations and the strengthening of national capacities. Particular emphasis was placed on protecting institutions from corruption and criminal infiltration, as well as on strengthening cooperation among police and customs authorities, the private sector and civil society in responding to security challenges.
Particular attention was devoted to border management and irregular migration as one of the key common challenges facing the Western Balkans and an important component of European integration. The need for further alignment with European and Schengen standards was highlighted, alongside strengthening capacities for border surveillance and the protection of vulnerable groups and victims of trafficking in human beings.
The results of the accompanying activities of the Berlin Process, including the Forum of Heads of Border Police, were welcomed, with participants noting that regional cooperation, information exchange and interoperability are key elements of an effective response to cross-border security threats.
It was concluded that building a secure and resilient Western Balkans requires stronger institutional cooperation, more efficient information exchange and operational collaboration, while fully respecting human rights and dignity.