In Sarajevo today, in the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the professional conference “Modern security challenges – Organized crime and contemporary threats to security” was held. The conference was organized by the Association of Criminologists, Criminologists and Security Managers (UKKMS), in partnership with the Faculty of Criminology, Criminology and Security Studies of the University of Sarajevo, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Sarajevo Canton and the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC), with the support of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The aim of the conference was to open an expert dialogue on the most significant security challenges of modern society, with a special focus on organized crime, the fight against drug abuse, cybercrime and the protection of critical infrastructure.
The conference was opened by Kemal Ademović, Deputy Speaker of the House of Peoples of the BiH Parliamentary Assembly, and the Minister of Internal Affairs of KS Admir Katica, Dean of the Faculty of Criminology, Criminology and Security Studies, Prof. Dr. Jasmin Ahić, president of the Association of Criminologists, Criminologists and Security Managers Mirela Mujović and program manager of the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC) Almedina Dodić.
Ademović emphasized that the fight against organized crime is much more than a security issue. It is a question of the rule of law, economic development, citizens’ trust in institutions and the overall security of society. “We are facing the growing challenges of drug abuse, cybercrime, threats directed at the criminal infrastructure of institutions and citizens. Such threats require an equally modern response from the state and society. We need the cooperation of police agencies, the judiciary, the academic community, international partners and legislative institutions that should ensure a quality legal framework for action,” said Ademović.
Minister Katica pointed out that we live in a time of rapid changes, and that the development of technology, global connectivity and increasingly complex social processes have brought numerous advantages, but also opened up space for new forms of criminal activity. “Today, organized crime is more sophisticated than ever before, using international networks, financial flows and digital platforms to achieve its goals. In such circumstances, security is no longer a matter of an individual institution. It is the result of joint action, coordination and partnership of all actors who have responsibility towards citizens,” said Minister Katica.
Dean of the Faculty of Criminology, Criminology and Security Studies Prof. dr. Jasmin Ahić pointed out that today, in addition to traditional forms of organized crime, we are also facing growing threats in the field of crime, cyber security and others. “In a security environment like this, no institution or state can independently respond to these security challenges. Strong cooperation between police agencies, the judiciary, the academic community, international partners and civil society organizations is needed so that these kinds of gatherings represent a space for the exchange of ideas and the creation of new models of cooperation,” said Ahić.
The president of the Association of Criminologists, Criminologists and Security Managers, Mirela Mujović, pointed out that this conference arose out of the need to gather experts, decision-makers and representatives of institutions in one place to openly discuss the challenges that shape the modern security environment. “Organized crime, drug abuse, cybercrime, corruption and other forms of security threats represent complex phenomena that require much more than individual institutional responses,” said Mujović.
“Transnational organized crime today represents one of the most complex global challenges. Criminal networks operate across borders, adapt to new circumstances, use technological innovations and very quickly find new ways of making illegal profits. This is precisely why responses to these threats must not remain limited by administrative or institutional borders,” said Almedina Dodić, program manager of the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC).
The participants of today’s conference discussed through three thematic panels about: contemporary forms of organized crime and institutional responses, inter-institutional cooperation in the prevention and suppression of drug abuse, and cyber security, cyber crime and the role of telecommunications in national security.
