Statement by Coordinator of the Bureau for Operational Coordination of the Intelligence and Security Sector Aleksa Bečić

The Bureau for Operational Coordination of the Intelligence and Security Sector, with the participation of the Minister of Interior and the Acting Assistant Director for the Sector for the Fight against Crime, held its eleventh session, at which it considered a number of issues within its competence.

The Bureau notes that the summer tourist season was characterized by a significant number of security challenges, numerous events and public gatherings with the participation of a large number of citizens, and that the intelligence and security sector bodies managed to adequately respond to the identified challenges. Satisfaction was also expressed with the adequate reaction of the competent authorities during the intensive wildfire season, which was also confirmed through publicly expressed assessments by international partners. 

The Bureau pointed out that the strategic orientation of organized criminal groups toward mutual confrontations, which has a transnational component and represents a legacy from previous periods, periodically complicates the security situation. At the same time, it defined a series of concrete steps and obligations for the intelligence and security sector bodies, aimed at further intensifying intelligence, preventive and repressive measures against high-risk organized criminal groups.

The Bureau welcomed the adoption of the Regulation on Electronic Monitoring of the Implementation of Surveillance Measures, the adoption of which was initiated by the Bureau, and whose application will enable more efficient monitoring of compliance with these measures and significantly facilitate the work of competent institutions.

As crucial, the Bureau emphasized that for the effective fight against high-risk organized criminal groups, systemic action of all competent institutions is necessary, especially of the judiciary, given that so far the inefficiency of court proceedings, accompanied by numerous obstructions and abuses of judicial processes, has been a major challenge for achieving full effect and building the rule of law.

The Bureau also highlighted the significant results achieved in the areas of national priorities in the fight against serious and organized crime, particularly in combating smuggling and drug distribution, including the seizure of the largest plantation to date of more than 13,000 cannabis plants, the dismantling of a street dealer network, the location and arrest of members of high-risk organized criminal groups wanted on international warrants, environmental crime, smuggling of excise goods, money laundering, continued prosecution of former high-ranking officials of the intelligence and security sector, abuse of firearms, illegal migration and human trafficking, unlawful residence of foreigners, and suppression of the activities of foreign criminal structures.

As one of the crucial reform processes, the Bureau once again emphasized the systemic importance of and strongly supported the processes of verifying the existence of security risks, controlling property, income and lifestyle, as well as other legal procedures in accordance with the Law, which provide a kind of vetting, stressing that the issue of integrity is key to building a professional, resilient and credible security system.

As in previous cases, and after being informed of the current status and progress achieved between two sessions, the Bureau pointed to the obligation of the prompt finalization of the procedure for establishing the employment relationship of police officers, bearing in mind that the lack of human resources is one of the limiting factors for optimizing the work of the Police Directorate.

The Bureau also, in conclusion, affirmed the progress in the activities of the Ministry of Interior in the part related to the introduction of stationary radar systems and city video surveillance, as modern technical and technological solutions that will significantly improve the performance of the Police Directorate and affect traffic safety and the overall security situation. At the same time, the Bureau commended the activities of the intelligence and security sector bodies in improving the electronic exchange of criminal intelligence data, as well as the undertaken activities aimed at raising the level of information competence of state authorities, with the goal of establishing a system for secure and safe electronic communication and document exchange.

In accordance with planned activities, the Bureau was informed about the activities on the finalization of the drafting of new legislative projects in the areas of traffic safety and weapons, then about reports on the work of interdepartmental working teams, and it also considered a number of other issues within its competence.