Bureau for Operational Coordination of the Intelligence and Security Sector holds its 14th session

The Bureau for Operational Coordination of the Intelligence and Security Sector, with the participation of the Minister of the Interior, held its 14th session, during which several issues relating to the activities of the intelligence and security sector bodies were considered.

The Bureau concluded that, in the period between the two sessions, as a response to the strongest and most intensive fight against serious organized crime to date, as well as the unprecedented unity, cohesion, and joint action of the intelligence-security sector bodies – evidenced by exceptional results across nearly all areas – there has also been a noticeable trend of hybrid activity accompanied by the malign influence of criminal structures and entities associated with them. It was further noted that BOK’s earlier conclusions and initiatives regarding the need to treat hybrid activity as a national priority in the fight against serious and organized crime have proven justified. A clear message was also sent that attempts at the personal and professional discrediting of key actors in the fight against crime, as well as attempts to destabilize the system, will not weaken but rather strengthen further action and the uncompromising fight of the state against the mafia and all forms of crime.

Considering the importance of legislative reforms, the Bureau expressed strong support for the Ministry of the Interior, the Police Directorate, and the National Security Agency in the strict and uncompromising implementation of the provisions of the Law on Internal Affairs and the Law on the National Security Agency, particularly in the segment relating to the implementation of integrity measures necessary for the full recovery of the security sector. It was additionally noted that the recent actions of the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption are not in line with the legal system of Montenegro, nor with the spirit of decriminalization, institutional recovery, protection of integrity, and enhancement of the efficiency of the security sector, as well as the establishment of the rule of law. 

As one of its key messages, the Bureau warned of the real possibility that, due to the inefficiency of court proceedings and the failure to issue judgments within the legally prescribed timeframe, several dozen members of high-risk organized criminal groups could be released from the Administration for the Execution of Criminal Sanctions by the end of the year. In this regard, the Bureau once again affirmed the need for the urgent adoption of amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code, particularly concerning the extension of detention periods to five years for the most serious criminal offences and the prevention of procedural abuses. By way of illustration, it was noted that in only one case involving high-risk organized criminal groups, the main hearing had been postponed as many as 11 times due to procedural abuses. The Bureau also reiterated the need for prompt amendments to the Criminal Code in the area of introducing violations of surveillance measures as a separate criminal offence, as well as the final adoption of the revised Law on the Confiscation of Assets Acquired through Criminal Activity, as one of the key mechanisms in the fight against criminal structures.

The Bureau particularly praised the cooperation between the Police Directorate, the National Security Agency, the Special State Prosecutor’s Office, and the competent prosecution offices, as well as the results achieved during the first months of 2026 in all areas of the fight against serious and organized crime. Special emphasis was placed on the implementation of the international operation “Spectacular” and the prosecution of 10 individuals in Montenegro for the smuggling of more than four tonnes of narcotics; the notable role in EUROPOL’s ASSET project and the identification of assets worth EUR 2.5 million suspected of having been acquired through criminal activities; the prosecution of eight individuals – members of high-risk organized criminal groups – for six serious criminal offences against life and limb; the locating and arrest of more than 100 persons wanted at the national and international levels, including six members of high-risk organized criminal groups sought for serious criminal offences; as well as numerous prosecutions in the fields of usury, environmental crime, and other national priorities.

It was concluded that these results represent a continuation of the commitment of the intelligence and security sector bodies, recalling that during the period from 2024 to 2026, a total of 39 criminal offences of murder committed in the current or earlier periods had been solved, including those arising from clashes between criminal clans; 73 criminal offences of attempted murder had been solved; and the commission of 11 serious criminal offences against life and limb had been prevented, with an almost one hundred percent clearance rate for serious criminal offences.

Special emphasis was placed on the obligations of the intelligence and security sector bodies in preparation for the upcoming EU–Western Balkans Summit, noting that numerous activities involving interdepartmental cooperation have already been undertaken in order to ensure that Montenegro, as the host country, and its institutions perform at the highest level.

The Bureau was also briefed on activities related to the implementation of public area video surveillance projects, stationary radar systems, and other improvements aimed at the digitalization and modernization of work processes. The Bureau affirmed new legislative projects in the areas of weapons regulation and traffic safety, which are expected to be considered soon by the Parliament of Montenegro. It also reviewed activities undertaken to address staffing shortages, strengthen capacities, and renew personnel structures, while Bureau members were informed of reports on the work of interdepartmental working groups and considered other issues within their competence.