The Minister of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Nenad Nešić, today suggested to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Montenegro, Filip Adžić, that the procedures for crossing the borders between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro during the summer season should be made easier.
Nešić said that he proposed to Adžić that through the Council of Ministers of BiH and the Government of Montenegro, the simplification of the procedure when crossing the state border during the summer season.
“We, as the Ministry of Security, will already during the summer launch an initiative to check passengers entering and leaving Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro and vice versa. We believe that this would simplify border traffic, speed up the border crossing procedure and certainly make it easier for our citizens, especially in during the summer season so that they can more easily enter Montenegro and return to their home country,” he said.
“Even more effective work to combat crime,”
Nešić congratulated Adžić on the successfully held elections in Montenegro, which confirmed the democratic and European capacity of Montenegro.
“Our two countries have the same goals. Our two ministries have the same goals, that is membership in the European Union and the contribution that our departments are the locomotives of that process,” said Nešić.
He said that the Ministry of Security is resolved to cooperate with all countries of the region at the highest possible level, bearing in mind the common history, and hopes for a common future.
Nešić said that for a large number of BiH citizens, Montenegro is a fraternal country and a destination they are happy to return to.
He said that after establishing full cooperation with Europol, they set the next target, which is Frontex.
“We have both an internal and external political initiative to reach an understanding on this important issue. We are on the right track and I believe that we will resolve this issue in the optimal period,” said Nešić and added that Montenegro signed an agreement with Frontex and that they have to say about it.
Nešić said that these countries represent a crossroads used by criminals, smugglers and human traffickers when they try to escape the rule of law and justice.
“We must strengthen operational cooperation in our police agencies in these and other types of crime. That is why I signed a letter confirming the readiness of our Ministry to make available the ‘source’ code for the tool that we developed with the support of the IOM, which aims to monitor human trafficking,” said Nešić.
He believes that their common origin is to once again be without borders and part of the European Union.
They discussed the agreement on cooperation in the field of combating human trafficking, as well as the creation of conditions for issuing border passes for residents of the border area of BiH in order to more easily cross the territory of Montenegro.
At a joint press conference with BiH Security Minister Nenad Nešić, Adžić said that good relations are everyone’s goal. He added that it is necessary to act to facilitate easier border crossings, in order to reduce congestion at the crossings.
One of the key topics of discussion was the fight against organized crime.
“We still have a lot of work to do. Criminal organizations that operate on the territory of BiH and Montenegro have long gone beyond the borders of our countries, that they have gained global influence and are working on the territory of the whole of Europe, the Middle East and Latin America. We must join forces, exchange information, act together considering that those criminals who are perpetrators of criminal offenses in our country are trying to find refuge in BiH. The same is the case with those who have committed criminal acts in BiH. The exchange of information is something that will improve efficiency in the fight against organized crime,” he said. is Adzic.
The two ministers also discussed migration and cooperation with Frontex, as well as the mechanisms for combating illegal migration.
“We also talked about the fight against terrorism, which cannot be ignored. Fortunately, Montenegro is not a country that has any problems in this sense, but we must never relax. There are more people in BiH who can potentially create a problem because of that. Always we need to have information exchanged about these people, that’s why it’s good to have meetings, for our institutions to function more and more, for the people who lead the institutions to meet more often,” Adžić said.
He added that the future of the countries in the region is in the European Union and that it is necessary to work on strengthening security now.
“Any instability caused in Bosnia and Herzegovina or any other country in the region affects Montenegro. The same is the case with Bosnia and Herzegovina. I believe that it is in our common interest to achieve full stability in the region, full cooperation between all countries, for institutions to cooperate at the highest possible level. and to show that we are all ready to become part of the big European family and that together we can meet all the challenges facing our countries,” said Adzic.
He concluded that relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro are “fraternal and more than neighborly”, which is why he emphasized the importance of working in the interests of the common future of future generations.
