Newsroom
OSCE Mission in Belgrade holds co-ordination meeting on combating organized crime
BELGRADE 3 April 2003
BELGRADE, 3 April 2003 - The OSCE Mission to Serbia and Montenegro today brought together the donor community and the Serbian Justice and Interior Ministries on the issue of co-ordinating the fight against organized crime.
The informal meeting provided a platform for the OSCE Mission to outline its plan of action in fighting organized crime. Additionally, the Serbian Justice Ministry, represented by Deputy Minister Dusan Protic and the Serbian Interior Ministry, represented by Chief of Staff Ivan Djordjevic, outlined ongoing work within their Ministries in preventing organized crime.
"The convening of this co-ordination meeting at this time and in this environment is important, as its enables the OSCE Mission, the donor community and the Serbian Ministries of Interior and Justice to exchange information on how best we can work together and create synergies, in order to be fully effective in the fight against organized crime," said the Head of the OSCE Mission, Ambassador Maurizio Massari.
The Mission has two departments working on the reform of the police and the judiciary respectively. The activities of both departments are based upon effectively preventing the causes of organized crime and creating effective legal and institutional structures capable of dealing with organized crime.
In addition to outlining the OSCE Mission's work in the area of police and judicial reform, the OSCE Mission also unveiled an anti-trafficking strategy at the meeting.
"Trafficking in human beings especially, is one of the most integral aspects of organized crime," said Massari. "Therefore, the OSCE Mission has developed a detailed strategy for Serbia and Montenegro on how to fight trafficking head on, and equally on how to protect the victims of human trafficking."
The informal meeting provided a platform for the OSCE Mission to outline its plan of action in fighting organized crime. Additionally, the Serbian Justice Ministry, represented by Deputy Minister Dusan Protic and the Serbian Interior Ministry, represented by Chief of Staff Ivan Djordjevic, outlined ongoing work within their Ministries in preventing organized crime.
"The convening of this co-ordination meeting at this time and in this environment is important, as its enables the OSCE Mission, the donor community and the Serbian Ministries of Interior and Justice to exchange information on how best we can work together and create synergies, in order to be fully effective in the fight against organized crime," said the Head of the OSCE Mission, Ambassador Maurizio Massari.
The Mission has two departments working on the reform of the police and the judiciary respectively. The activities of both departments are based upon effectively preventing the causes of organized crime and creating effective legal and institutional structures capable of dealing with organized crime.
In addition to outlining the OSCE Mission's work in the area of police and judicial reform, the OSCE Mission also unveiled an anti-trafficking strategy at the meeting.
"Trafficking in human beings especially, is one of the most integral aspects of organized crime," said Massari. "Therefore, the OSCE Mission has developed a detailed strategy for Serbia and Montenegro on how to fight trafficking head on, and equally on how to protect the victims of human trafficking."