PLAV – Minister of Interior of Montenegro Mevludin Nuhodžić, Minister of Interior of Albania Dritan Demiraj and Deputy Minister of Interior of Kosovo Valdet Hoxha signed Tuesday a Protocol on the establishment of the Joint Centre for Police Cooperation at the ceremony which took place in Plav, Government of Montenegro stated.
This document will contribute to improving the cross-border cooperation in the fight against crime throughout more intensive exchange of operative information and more efficient coordination of the joint activities along the state border.
Montenegrin Minister of Interior Nuhodžić noted that this trilateral Centre in a symbolic way represents commitment to the fight against transnational organised crime and the joint contribution to strengthening the security of the region. He stressed that the Centre will boost the joint exchange of information and increase the security of the joint borders in terms of meeting the Schengen standards.
Minister Nuhodžić said that the Centre will work in accordance with the principle of continuous duty, which is a wide spread model in the EU member states. Employees engaged in this Centre will actively participate in the exchange of information and the joint risk analysis with the aim of preventing and combating cross-border crime, human trafficking, illegal migration and drug trafficking, Minister Nuhodžić pointed out.
Deputy Minister of Interior of Kosovo Valdet Hoxha highlighted that signing of the trilateral Protocol demonstrates the commitment of the three countries to cherishing the mutual cooperation and strengthening interstate mechanisms aimed at fighting organised crime, cross-border crime, illegal migration and terrorism.
German Ambassador to Montenegro Hans Günther congratulated the governments of Montenegro, Albania and Kosovo on the achieved and promising results in terms of cherishing the regional cooperation. Germany will continue supporting the trilateral cooperation of the border police authorities in the coming period, German Ambassador Günther outlined.
The US Ambassador to Montenegro Margaret Ann Uyehara thanked for the contribution and cooperation demonstrated in pursuing the joint goals, voicing belief that the new trilateral Centre will provide support to the regional police agencies in the fight against all types of international cross-border crime.