Western Balkans regional security and migration cooperation

Regional authorities in the Western Balkans are increasingly focusing on international security partnerships to address migration and organized crime.

During a Border Police Chiefs Forum in Skopje, North Macedonia’s Minister of Internal Affairs, Panče Toshkovski, characterized migration as a global and European challenge rather than a localized one. He advocated for moving from declarations to “concrete cooperation mechanisms” to enhance security and align the region with European standards through the Berlin Process.

Subsequent efforts to strengthen these capacities have been seen in Montenegro and Serbia. In Serbia, police officials have engaged with German delegations to enhance operational cooperation and the effectiveness of specialized intervention units.

In Montenegro, the partnership between the Police Administration and the United Nations has been reaffirmed. During a meeting between Director Lazar Šćepanović and UN Resident Coordinator Karolin Tiso, it was confirmed that the UN will continue to support the strengthening of institutions, capacity, and the rule of law.

Šćepanović highlighted technical and operational support from various UN bodies, including the IOM, UNDP, UNHCR, UNICEF, SEESAC, UNODC, and UNOCT. This cooperation focuses on combating organized and cross-border crime, enhancing border security, migration management, forensics, and the fight against the smuggling of small arms and light weapons. These programs are intended to help Montenegro meet European Commission recommendations and align with the EU legal acquis through professional training and workshops.