Kapetanović: Criminals cooperate without declarations, the region must be just as fast

The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, Amer Kapetanović, has called for intensifying cooperation between Western Balkan countries in the fight against organized crime, warning that criminal networks operate across borders faster than the institutions meant to fight them.

Speaking at the Berlin Process Interior Ministers Meeting, held on September 15 and 16 in Podgorica, Kapetanović said that striking organized crime in the Western Balkans is not only a matter of the region’s security, but also of European security.

“Every shipment stopped in our region is a shipment that will not have to be stopped in Vienna, Berlin, Paris or London. This is not only useful for the region, but is security for all of us. Criminals cooperate across our borders without joint declarations. Let us cooperate at least just as fast,” he said.

The meeting was held at Vila Gorica, under Montenegro’s Chairmanship of the Berlin Process for 2026. Kapetanović spoke in the session dedicated to strengthening resilience against organized crime, attended by representatives of the Western Balkans Six, the European Commission and international partners.

The RCC Secretary General also drew attention to citizens’ high perception of corruption and crime. According to the latest RCC SecuriMeter data, 81% of surveyed citizens believe corruption is widespread, while 72% express concern about organized crime.

Kapetanović called for better use of regional data and evidence to identify security gaps, as well as more attention to ports, transport networks and logistics, which could be exploited by criminal groups.

In his view, closer cooperation between police, customs and logistics operators is also needed, as well as strengthening the link between personnel, information and digital systems security.

Another area where Kapetanović called for continued regional cooperation is firearms control. He referred to the experience created through the Western Balkans Roadmap for Small Arms and Light Weapons Control and cooperation with SEESAC.

The session was chaired by Montenegro’s Interior Minister Danilo Šaranović, while representatives of Western Balkan countries and the European Commission took part in the discussion.

The discussion on regional security will continue at the JUMBO Regional Security Conference, which the RCC will organize in Tirana in November. The conference will focus on the effectiveness of support for security institutions, the gaps that continue to exist and the areas where stronger coordination between the region’s countries is required.

Source: RCC