Bosnia and Herzegovina has established full cooperation with the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (EUROPOL) by opening new premises of the National/Joint Contact Point of BiH in the Greece-Bosnia and Herzegovina Friendship Building.
As announced by the BiH Ministry of Security, this is an important milestone for Bosnia and Herzegovina, which enables direct cooperation between EUROPOL and all law enforcement agencies in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the deployment of BiH liaison officer at EUROPOL in The Hague. This will greatly contribute to BiH’s efforts in strengthening the prevention and fight against organized crime and corruption, which is one of the 14 key priorities in the Opinion of the European Commission on BiH’s application for EU membership.
BiH Minister of Security Nenad Nešić, who together with the Deputy Director General of the Directorate General for Migration and Internal Affairs at the European Commission Oliver Onidi, opened the Contact Point, pointed out that he expects that the fulfillment of this priority will be a strong incentive for further progress in the process of joining the European Union, the most important goal which BiH strives for.
“This process lasted 10 years, but still, this is a big turning point for all of us. All together, with the help and support of the Delegation of the European Union, with this achievement we have achieved a lot for BiH, both in the field of security and as a candidate for membership in the European Union. Through international police cooperation, which is our country’s priority, through the Contact Point, where all competent authorities and institutions are visible and have their role, we strengthen both internal trust, as well as trust and cooperation with other nations and countries,” Nešić said.
Oliver Onidi, Deputy Director General of the Directorate General for Migration and Internal Affairs at the European Commission, pointed out that this is a big step in strengthening common security, and that both BiH and the EU are taking another step in integrating the response to terrorism and criminal activities.
Head of the EU Delegation/EU Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Johann Sattler, expressed his satisfaction with the fact that law enforcement agencies in Bosnia and Herzegovina have joined the EUROPOL family.
“Today’s world is increasingly interconnected, and that includes criminal activities. This is why cross-border cooperation in law enforcement is so crucial. Starting the work of the contact point will improve the exchange of vital information that will lead to a stronger fight against economic crime, terrorism, cybercrime, human and drug trafficking, and child exploitation,” said Sattler.
By establishing full cooperation with EUROPOL, law enforcement authorities in BiH will have full access to EUROPOL’s analytical tools and databases, which will facilitate the exchange of valuable operational information between EU and BiH law enforcement agencies.
Deputy Executive Director of Operations at EUROPOL, Jean-Philippe Lecouffe emphasized that Bosnia and Herzegovina is a key partner in the fight against cross-border crime.
“We work closely together to solve serious criminal threats, and Bosnia and Herzegovina and EUROPOL will jointly benefit from the establishment of the National Contact Point. We look forward to welcoming a liaison officer from Bosnia and Herzegovina, who will join the large network of countries represented at EUROPOL headquarters. This development enables Bosnia and Herzegovina and EUROPOL to cooperate even more closely in the fight against international crime and building a safe society for all our citizens,” added Lecouffe.
Coordinator of the National/Joint Contact Point of BiH for cooperation with EUROPOL, Irena Marelja, clarified that the Contact Point currently consists of 16 police officers, so that representatives of all police agencies of Bosnia and Herzegovina are in one place.
“It’s new for all of us, it’s the first time we’re working in this kind of environment, which gives us a sense of success. Together we overcame the initial challenges of establishing this youngest state and police body, and new ones are just around the corner. But in order to continue this process and fulfill the set expectations, we need constant cooperation and support in strengthening this body, to effectively respond to the challenges of the modern world and manage security risks, as a hub for the timely exchange of information with EUROPOL”, said Marelja.
The EU has continuously advocated and supported the operationalization of the Contact Point, including assistance in drafting work regulations, renovation of new premises and donation of IT equipment necessary for its work.
